New York State of Mind
by AquaRock
Summary: Sequel to "There Goes the...Underground?" After the barrier is broken, the underground dwellers are eager to explore the land they dreamed of. However, the political clash between monsters and humans severely hinders their progress. Meanwhile, Sergio gets a sudden awakening from an old "friend" of his. Will Sergio follow his counsel, or will his pride spell doom for everyone?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Back At It Like a Crack Addict**

Broken. The barrier was finally broken. The event that every monster underground had long awaited had finally transpired. Now everyone was able to go free and enjoy the sunlight, the fresh air, and the friendly humans that awaited them in the surface. Yes, everyone's hopes and dreams could finally be realized.

This was due cause for celebration. The king would undoubtedly launch a gala event in the human's honor. The monster could see it now: Sergio's name illuminated in large lights, the celebration extending throughout the entire Capital. While they were celebrating right now, the next few days was sure to see a massive influx of monsters in the human world.

Despite the widespread nature of the observance, one particular monster chose not to take part in this. In fact, he distanced himself as far away from the Capital as possible; it was bound to get noisy there. But where he was, it was calm, peaceful, reminiscent of the tranquility that existed before...before everything happened.

He was at the ruins, approaching the golden flowerbed. It was quite a long distance to walk here from the Capital; fortunately, the resident river...person was able to give him a ride from Hotland to Snowdin. Sergio certainly had a journey since he fell here. But the distance wasn't the monster's biggest problem. He only hoped that the other underground inhabitants wouldn't recognize him. It simply would have been best for everyone to keep thinking that he wasn't around anymore. It was a good thing that he got a dark cloak from his closet before leaving for his destination. As far as he knew, the "disguise" worked.

He sat crosslegged in the flowerbed, his hands folded across his chest. He closed his eyes and willed himself into a meditative state. His breathing became slower and deeper as he reflected on his past.

 _"It sounds like it came from over here..."_

 _"Mom, Dad, this is Tobias."_

 _"So_ he's _the one who fell..."_

 _"We welcome you to our home..."_

 _"I fear that I won't make it. Please, just...take my soul."_

 _"I can't just do something like that, Tobias...What if something worse happens to you?"_

 _"Please...all I ask is that we try. If we don't try, we are destined to fail..."_

 _A floating heart was within the monster's grasp. He watched as Tobias's eyes began to close, his body slowly losing its warmth. It was now or never. The monster tentatively held Tobias's soul and brought it to his chest._

 _And that was the last thing he remembered before re-awakening as that...that THING._

He didn't make many regrettable decisions in the past, but his biggest one was linked to that event. The first human who had fallen down here was treated with warm hospitality. However, his influence and the monster's ignorance had ignited a fierce hatred of humans among all the monsters. Although the monster's experience with humans was limited, he knew that not all of them had to have been terrible. Sergio may not have been the friendliest person he met, but he could detect decency within him.

The monster just hoped he could have more quickly discerned Tobias's true intentions...

All of the strife everyone down here suffered was because of the monster. All it took was his rejection of Tobias's last wish. He wouldn't have dared to think about it before, but he knew now that it was best for Tobias to die then and there. Otherwise, the other six humans who had fallen here wouldn't have had to die so mercilessly. However, without that decision, the barrier may never have been broken. Was it worth it to keep hundreds of thousands of monsters in this prison just to save a few human lives?

Was it destiny? Or was it simply adolescent naivete? There were prophecies that told of one child sent to liberate them all, a child who felt sympathy for the monsters and had a genuine desire to help them. But if you asked the monster, the prophecy was a bit off the mark.

 _"I don't care if you a flowa or a goat, you still gon' get this work!"_

He doubted that "sympathetic" would have been the word to describe the last human who came here. But there _was_ a desire to save monsters, for sure. Without one, the monster doubted that Sergio would have survived what he put the human through.

Prophecy or not, the barrier was still broken. Things seemed to turn out right for everyone else. The only way he could help maintain the peace for Sergio and his friends was if he was never recognized in public. The only person who knew of his continued existence was Sergio, after the monster reverted from his godlike form.

When he looked back at his battle with Sergio, he was left confused. It felt as if he exerted all of his energy in an effort to kill the human. The monster remembered every detail about the battle and the fury that burned within him. Yet at the same time, part of him was restraining himself from completing the act. As a result, Sergio emerged victorious from the battle. The monster felt so much rage because he confused Sergio for Tobias. Aside from clothing and speech patterns, the last human to come here was a spitting image of the first human.

But now he knew the current situation. Sergio was alive, and Tobias was not. Technically, the monster shouldn't have been alive, either. He figured that Tobias's soul was within him, and that the human was giving him control of his body so that he could properly think about what he'd done.

He could sense it coming. He was losing his sense of this reality and moving on to the next one. This time, he would not try to change fate. If he was to suffer as a soulless flower for the rest of his existence, so be it...

But nothing happened. The monster was still himself, a teenaged white goat monster with a stomach in place of a stem and hands in place of petals. What had obstructed the form-reverting process?

He suddenly felt a dark presence within him. He was all too familiar with this sensation. He felt this way only when he first absorbed the first human'ssoul. But it couldn't be. He was supposed to be dead. The other human souls had vanished when Sergio destroyed the barrier. There was no reason why Tobias's would have remained!

However, his mind's eye saw the flowerbed where Tobias was buried, not far from the barrier. It was a clear, sunny day in the surface, which contrasted with a dark-skinned, dirt covered human hand shooting up from the ground. As the human fought its way out from the ground, the monster could hear him clearly proclaim, "I am alive."

 _No!_ The monster opened his eyes, standing up from his own flowerbed. It made too much sense now. It was clear that he wasn't turning back into a flower anytime soon, which meant that Tobias, the person with whom the monster shared a body, was still alive as well. Now that Tobias was back, he was apt to wreak havoc on the monsters once more. Given Tobias's abilities and actions while in a floral form, the monster was in nowise reassured as to what the human would do in his natural form.

He shuddered when he realized something: Humans were usually buried in wooden coffins six feet under the ground. A body to reanimate and claw its way out without suffocating sent more warning signals in the monster's mind. Whatever Tobias intended to do, he was hell-bent on seeing it through. Not even _death_ could stop him.

It was clear now that the only way for the monster to rectify his past mistakes was to ensure that nothing happened to anyone in the underground _or_ the surface. Tobias had come back for an unknown purpose, but sharing a body with Tobias did shed some light on what the human intended to do.

The monster pulled the hood over his head and dashed toward the ruins' exit. He needed to inform the necessary personnel before it was too late.

 _Who is his best connection?_ thought the monster, other monsters' images flipping through his head.

 **. . .**

 **Meanwhile...**

The human felt naked without his hoodie or a pistol in his waistband. He felt as if he had to get rid of both for his mission.

Both of those items were related to his past crimes. He didn't have to worry about what he had on his person the last few days because of where he was; nobody underground knew what either of these concrete symbols denoted. They were just more secrets for him to take to the grave.

A wall of armored figures stood in a line, initially blocking the human's path. The faint sunlight creeping into the area was reflected on their gleaming shoulder and chest plates. Their clothing vastly contrasted with the human's clothing, him merely wearing a black T-shirt and cargo pants. Upon recognition of the human, some of the figures in the middle dispersed, allowing the human to pass. The figures moved quite swiftly, either out of respect or fear. Why the latter would have been true, the human had no idea.

He was in an underground cave, stony walls surrounding him in the current room. There were even more armored figures surrounding him, all carrying medieval weapons such as axes, maces, and flails. The weapons stood out from the ones the human knew, as all of them had shone brightly, even without exterior light. The figures stood rigidly, silently vigilant. From the few features their armor didn't cover, the human could see that they were all different subspecies, with diverse heights, builds, and skin types. While the figures had fur and scales, the human merely had dark-colored pigment to his skin and short black hair.

The human approached the back side of a house, which was protected by two more guards, interlocking their axes across a door. He felt fortunate enough that there wasn't so much security in the locale the first time he'd been here. He nodded at the two guards, who then opened their axes and permitted him to enter.

He entered a throne room with a mostly floral ground, a golden flowerbed immediately surrounding a large purple throne. A table sat in the middle of the room, with another armored figure leaning on one edge. The figure stared back at the human with a yellow eye, the other eye covered in an eye patch. Unlike the other armored figures the human saw, this one didn't have a helmet equipped. The human could see the figure's fishlike face, yellow teeth protruding from her top jaw. Her long, red hair was arranged in a ponytail.

"He's back, Asgore," the guard called in a gruff voice, addressing whoever was sitting in front of her. The throne creaked as someone rose from it. This figure was a tall, white, goatlike creature with a golden mane, horns, and a purple cloak covering everything from the shoulders down. Golden shoulder plates complemented the small crown on his head.

The goat warmly smiled at the human. "Good evening, Sergio. How was the trip back home?"

 _Jest like I expected, nobody was waitin' fa me._ But the human wouldn't worry them about his personal issues. "Eh, ain't nothin' much ta report." Sergio pulled out a street map of New York City from his lower cargo pants pocket, laying it on the the table. The goat and fishlike creature stood on either side of him, staring at the map.

"This is much more elaborate than I thought it would be," Asgore commented, eyeing the intricate nature of the maps.

"How do you find your way around?" the guard said.

"Heh-heh, wait till ya see the real deal," Sergio said, a cocky grin on his face. "Aight, so I fell down 'round here," he pointed to Upper Manhattan, "and walked all dis way to where we are now," he traced his finger down the borough. "Where the barria was broken, and where I jest came from, that'll take us down ta Lowa Manhattan. It's a centa fa business and whatnot, kinda like what yo' Capital is."

"If it's a business district, that must mean it's highly populated," Asgore concluded, stroking his beard.

Sergio nodded in confirmation. "The undaground's exit'll take us ta Kennedy Park, which always gets a lotta visitas. So if y'all plannin' on gettin' outta this place, y'all gon' be exposed the second ya do."

"Sneaking's for chumps! Why don't we just rush in there and make a name for ourselves from the get-go? If they have a problem with it, they'll have to answer to me!" said the armored guard, slamming the table. Both Sergio and Asgore regarded the outburst with mild surprise.

"I appreciate your passion, Undyne, but we only have one chance to make a good first impression. We want to show _some_ respect for the humans' homeland," Asgore said.

"But Sergio said the surface was dangerous, even for him!" retorted Undyne. "Why would _we_ be immune to attack, then?"

"I never said we would. However, we'll be calling enough attention to ourselves just by walking out there. We wouldn't want to overwhelm the humans by having half the Royal Guard with us when we make our expedition," Asgore asserted.

"Yeah. We in luck, though. Lowa Manhattan ain't nearly as bad as Harlem, so safety won't be as much of an issue. Plus, if ya wanna get ta the centa a' city government, the City Hall ain't too far from here. Jest a couple blocks, and you'll be there," Sergio explained, pointing to the location on the map. "Only problem is, it's closed right now, and it won't open till the mornin'. Now the question is, who all's goin' up ta the surface?"

"We'll need at least five or six guards to protect Asgore while we're up there. I'll round up a few soldiers and tell them of the assignment," Undyne suggested.

"While I agree that security is important, we want to look as if we're extending an olive branch, not launching a military occupation. In the political realm, looks make up about sixty-five percent of what people take away when meetings are over," answered Asgore. "The way I see it, we'll either look peculiar to the humans, or threatening. I would prefer the former."

"So, you wanna risk security for appearance?" Sergio pressed.

"For the initial meeting, we may have to. As for personnel as a whole..." Asgore gestured to the two other people. "This is it. I'll make the negotiations, Undyne can act as a sentinel, and you can lead us to where we need to go, Sergio. That way, we can be secure without overdoing it."

Sergio nodded once, satisfied with the solution, but Undyne shook her head. "I don't like it one bit," she said, briefly balling her fists. "We have no idea what waits for us beyond the once-existing barrier."

"Good thang ya got me," Sergio pointed out.

Undyne's intense eye stared into Sergio's brown eyes. "I'm trusting you, Sergio." She conveyed the sentiment without a trace of threat or irritation, which was certainly an improvement since their first meeting.

"So, it's a plan, then? We three take the surface by dawn?" Sergio asked.

"Yes. Once we've confirmed that the surface is relatively safe, and when we have official plans for settlement, the monsters will begin making their new homes," said Asgore.

"Oh, and one thing, Asgore?" Undyne pointed out. Asgore's eyes shifted to the guard. "When we do go to the surface, don't call our settlement 'New New Home.'"

Asgore scowled slightly. "I was thinking 'New Home 2.0.'"

"Why not 'New Home 2: Electric Boogaloo?'" Sergio proposed with an impish smile.

"Ugh..." Undyne sighed with exasperation. Sergio and Asgore bumped each other's fists.

 **. . .**

 **Meanwhile...** **  
**  
A white, fur-covered hand knocked onto a wooden door, the monster eyeing the decorative wreath in the middle of it. _He has to be here; he has no obligation to watch over him anymore..._

"I'll get it!" sounded a self-important, somewhat childish voice. _No!_ The monster just remembered that his person of interest had a brother, and that they both lived in the same residence.

He heard muffled footsteps from the other side. The door swung open, revealing a tall skeletal figure dressed in a white chest plate, a red cape, gloves, and boots. The skeleton exhibited a toothy, charismatic smile towards the other monster.

"Greetings, stranger! How may I help you?" asked the skeleton, appearing not to notice that the monster had his entire face covered.

"I need to speak with your brother," said the monster.

''Sans! You have a visitor!" the skeleton called out. "He'll be here in a moment. Please, come in!" The resident monster opened the door wider, allowing the cloaked monster entry.

After wiping the snow off his feet, the monster viewed the house's interior. It was a modest abode with few vanities inside, such as a loveseat and a high-definition television. He stood on a soft, bluish carpet, and the far end of the house had an upper level.

He heard another rattling of bones from upstairs. A shorter skeleton wearing a blue hoodie and black shorts was yawning and stretching. "Didn't think I'd get a visitor tonight." The one called Sans stared down at the monster, somehow knowing exactly where his eyes were. The monster felt slightly uncomfortable, as if Sans was investigating his inner intentions and thoughts. Scarier it was to find that Sans kept the same nonchalant expression if that were the case. The monster reached for his hood, about to pull it down, but Sans shook his head. His hands fell to his sides in response to the skeleton's command.

Sans looked over to to his brother. "Why don't you get us a couple drinks, Pap?"

"Of course!" The taller skeleton turned on his heel and walked toward the kitchen. Just when he was about to pass through the doorway, he froze, as if time had stopped altogether. Beneath the monster's hood, he furrowed his brows at the sight. What was happening?

He looked over to Sans, who was still moving across the upper level towards the staircase. In his deep, accented voice, Sans said, "'Kay, now you can take your hood off."

It was unbelievable. Sans's apparently had an ability to stop time in order to keep conversations discreet. The skeleton must have known something that the monster didn't. He took his hood off, revealing his goatlike face.

Sans had descended to ground level. "Have a seat," he offered, gesturing to the loveseat behind the monster. The goat obliged. The skeleton began pacing in the middle of the living room, keeping an eye on the other monster. "Aren't you Toriel and Asgore's kid?"

Curses. He knew. Well, there was no point in lying now.

"Yes," the goat said, clenching his teeth. "Which is why I have the cloak on."

"Huh...Aren't ya supposed to be dead? Like, long dead?" Sans asked quite casually.

The goat's black eyes flicked back to the skeleton in response. He really didn't have an answer for that question. Of course, people _assumed_ he was dead, and his body had vanished from this realm. Or so people thought.

"Well, you're here now, I guess," Sans said, shrugging. "You trying to keep a low profile makes a bit more sense. Now, there must be a reason why you came to _me_."

The goat nodded. "You're the only one who wouldn't have freaked out at the sight of me."

"Eh, what can I say? I'm usually a chill guy."

If Sans's brother had seen what the goat looked like under the hood, he would have immediately connected the goat to his mother and father. Everybody else would have. But seeing Sans had triggered a strange feeling of familiarity within the goat, and that feeling was most likely reflected towards the skeleton.

A calm atmosphere would have been best considering the gravity of the situation.

"So, what can I do ya for?" Sans asked, his skeletal hands in his hoodie pockets.

"I need to contact Sergio. I have an important message for him."

"Really? That's it?" The skeleton blinked at the goat. "Where do _I_ come into play?"

"Sergio and I have...history," the monster said through slightly gritted teeth. "The way I see it, he may respond negatively to meeting with me. I request that you act as a mediator when we speak."

"Meaning, I make sure that nobody gets hurt," Sans translated. The skeleton was shrewd as he was lazy. He chuckled. "Listen pal, I know when someone's trouble or not. And you..." The skeleton paused, as if for dramatic effect. "I can sense the good in you. Plus, you're Toriel's kid. So, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

That explained the goat's feeling of being internally searched earlier. The skeleton was certainly a force to be reckoned with. Even though this was the first time he saw this sort of power in the goat's memory, he couldn't help but think that this was why Sans had struck such a chord within him. Even though the goat was a lifelong resident of the underground, he was still being surprised every hour.

"So you'll help me?" asked the goat.

"Sure. If it's as important as you say, I'll help in any way I can. Just remember something, kid." Sans blinked again. When his eyesockets opened again, one of his eyes disappeared, and the other eye flashed a bright blue and yellow. "Don't make me regret my decision."

The image of San's face like that elicited a primal, inexplicable fear within the goat, but he wouldn't let it show. "I won't."

Sans nodded, his eyes returning to normal. "Good. Now, tell me what kind of 'history' you have with Sergio."

 **. . .**

 **Meanwhile...**

 _"I can take shots without guns,_  
 _And the state cops I outrun,_  
 _It's ya boy Serge wit some choice words,_  
 _When the bass drops, I got clout, son!"_

Sergio had posted a video on the underground social network of him rapping. After the fight he had with a murderous talking flower...thing, he noticed a significant surge in his MonsterNet follower count. He scoffed at his phone. A bunch of these monsters weren't doing anything like this prior to the barrier's destruction. But to criticize the monsters for acting in such a way would have made him a hypocrite; he did the same with his friends.

He smirked at the phone screen as he scrolled through MonsterNet posts, walking towards Alphys's lab. He had just remembered the promise he made to the resident scientist that he would watch some anime with her. It was the least he could have done for all she'd done for him.

 _"This is undaground rap, got the game down pat..."_ Someone was calling him, Papyrus's picture appearing on his screen. He answered it.

"Yo," he said. He expected an enthusiastic voice that sounded a bit like an out-of-tune trumpet.

"Hey, kid." Instead, Sergio heard the essence of Brooklyn on the other end. It was Sans. "I'm calling from Papyrus's phone."

"Okay...So wusgood?"

"Are you busy with anything?"

"Nah, I jest handled my bidness wit the king. I was jest walkin' ta Hotland."

"Ah. Listen, we need to talk, bud." The skeleton suddenly sounded serious. "Can you take the river person's boat to Snowdin?"

With how Sans conveyed his message, Sergio figured the anime thing could wait. "Yeah. I'mma be there in two shakes." _Click!_

A thousand questions ran through his mind, a feeling he knew all too well in the underground. Was there trouble at a time like this, where every monster and his mother were on cloud nine? Did something else fall in here that should have stayed out? Or did Sans know something about Sergio that the human didn't want him to find out? He thought he was completely alone when he disassembled his pistol in the garbage dump area of Waterfall...

He took a detour in his path, walking toward Hotland's river instead of the laboratory. A bell hung from a cane-like post from the ground. He rang it to summon the river person, who shortly arrived near the land platform. The river person wore a dark cloak that concealed his or her identity. The boat looked normal except for the dog face in the front of it.

"Tra la la," said the river person in a singsong voice. "Good to see you again, dear. Where are we headed today?"

"Snowdin," Sergio replied, stepping onto the boat. He'd taken this mode of transportation enough times to disregard the lack of handles on the boat. The boat rose from the water, sprouting legs from what the human could see. It skipped along the water in a quick rate, splashing water behind it. Despite the manner in which the boat was moving, the ride to Snowdin was relatively smooth.

"Tra la la. The water is quite dry today," said the river person during the ride.

As soon as he reached Snowdin, he immediately regretted his decision to stash his jacket. He certainly didn't miss the stinging, bitter cold of the region, especially after just being in Hotland. The urgency in Sans's voice caused Sergio to forget to gain an extra jacket from Asgore's house.

Whatever the skeleton had to say, Sergio hoped it would be quick.

After the river person bode him farewell, he walked toward the main square in Snowdin, the snow crunching under his feet. The first time he was there, the area had been buzzing with monsters. Now, however, it was somewhat vacant. Either most people were asleep at this time, or people were just in their homes, preparing to move out from the underground to the surface.

But at least one monster was there, and it was the one who'd summoned him. A cordial grin spread across Sergio's face.

"'S-s-s-sup, S-S-Sans?" the human greeted, shivering.

The skeleton in front of him laughed. "Where's your jacket?"

"I done lost it b-b-back at the Capital." It was half-true; it _was_ in the Capital where he put the jacket in a drawer where nobody would find it, but the purpose of that he would keep to himself.

"Wanna borrow mine?" Sans took off his blue hoodie, holding it out for the human.

This act of consideration certainly wasn't out of character for Sans, but, "Won't _you_ get cold?"

"Eh, don't worry. Skeletons don't get cold." Technically, it would have been true if Sans and Papyrus didn't have any nerves. Something told the human that Sans didn't care about being cold, as long as the human stayed warm.

He accepted Sans's offer and put on the jacket, which was slightly oversized. He instantly felt much warmer, his shivering ceasing as soon as he put his arms through both sleeves. "Thanks, fam."

"No prob, bud. Follow me." Sans led him to the outskirts of the main square.

"So, who you takin' me to, Sans?" Sergio asked, breaking a short silence.

"I don't know, he didn't give me a name. He said he knew you, though."

Sergio stopped in his tracks. "You serious?"

"Is there a problem?" Sans turned to the human.

"Some guy comes ta you, sayin' that he know me, and he withhold 'is identity from ya? Don't that seem the least bit sus?"

He looked at Sergio, as if considering his words, before chuckling. "One thing you've gotta learn about me, kid, is that if someone had a bone to pick with you, and I'm around, they wouldn't be able to touch you. You have my word on that. Not only that, but if you can defeat a monster who absorbed six human souls and survive, I don't think this guy has a chance at beating you. Besides...you've got magic on your side now."

Sergio brought a hand in front of his face, opening his palm. He thought of the intrinsic rage he always possessed from surviving what he did before falling underground. He focused all of his energy on his palm. His forearm warmed up significantly, the temperature rising until a flame appeared over his hand.

As far as he knew, Sergio was the only human who could summon magical powers in the modern day. Nobody in his circle of friends was more shocked than he was when he discovered this ability.

 _Still cain't believe it took a fight wit oldboy ta disover 'em..._

"Yeah...I think you're set," Sans commented.

The two went to Grillby's restaurant, then went behind it. There, Sergio found a dumpster, a short path to the ice-cold river, and a strange cloaked being standing amidst the snow.

Already, Sergio knew something was up. This shady creature wasn't even trustworthy enough to show his face when he had some important news for the human. He focused more on Sans, whom he saw in his peripherals. _This betta not be a setup..._

"Ay, take ya hood off and show ya self!" Sergio demanded.

"...As you wish," the monster obliged. White hands came out of the monster's pockets. As soon as the hood came off, Sergio saw that the monster had a goatlike face, black eyes, droopy ears, and a pair of fangs. "Hello, Sergio."

The cloak and dagger aspect of this meeting now made sense!

"Aw, naw!" Sergio crouched defensively and felt energy forming outside the palm of his right hand. Instead of a fireball, a bright, four-foot spear formulated in his hand. He brought the spear back, preparing to throw it. Before he could release the spear, a bony hand caught his arm, the spear disappearing from his hand. Sergio cocked his head to Sans.

"Serge, what are you doing?" Sans asked, his voice only slightly altered from his normal tones.

Sergio hardly heard the skeleton as he formed another spear in his left hand, refocusing on the goat in front of him, who seemed calm during this exchange. Just before he could throw it, Sergio felt himself being shoved aside, almost completely immobilized. Once again, the spear evaporated from his hand.

What was going on?! _Was_ this meeting supposed to be a setup?! Sans was keeping the human from showing the goat monster what was good! Suddenly, it came to him; nobody but Sergio remembered the form the goat creature possessed prior to looking as he did now. It would seem like the goat to withhold his identity if it meant getting closer to the human...

"Sergio, calm down," Sans stated, his tone and countenance utterly solemn now. One of the skeleton's eyes vanished, the other one flashing blue and yellow. The strange eye had to be connected to Sergio's current immobility.

"Do you know who he is, Sans?!" Sergio looked at the goat. " _This_ is the sucka who nearly killed me afta absorbin' y'all souls! _This_ is the guy who used ta be the flowa! _This_ is the one supposed ta be dead! And I'mma be the one ta fix that!"

"You think I don't know all of that?" Sans responded. The skeleton's answer staggered Sergio. "He told me everything. It was how I was able to trust him enough to start all of this."

"Figured I could save you the trouble," said the goat, shrugging. His expression was devoid of the malice and spitefulness that still burned within Sergio's memory.

It was bewildering to think that Asriel, the creature behind the "flower incident," had survived his battle with Sergio. It was even stranger considering that after Asriel took an L big time, his first order of business was to convene with Sergio. He was just as confusing as his mother.

"Now, I'm about to release you. I'm gonna need you to promise me that you won't attack him once I do," Sans concluded. Sergio didn't like this one bit, but Sans had never led him to a trap before the barrier was broken; there was even less reason for the skeleton to do so now.

"Aight," said Sergio, the affirmation tasting like vinegar. He maintained a scowling gaze toward Asriel. Then, he felt himself gain full control of his body. He immediately balled his fists out of instinct, but restrained himself from summoning more magic.

Asriel stood his ground, as stiff as a board. Sans kept watch over the two of them, both eyes returning to their original condition.

"What are you doin' here?" Sergio asked the goat, his voice tinged with ire. "Is this yo' chance ta say 'sorry?'"

Asriel let out a shallow laugh, only showing a ghost of a smile. "There's hardly a chance you would have accepted an apology. No, I come with an explanation...and a warning."

"You expect me ta believe anythang ya got ta say?"

"I don't. I expect _him_ to." Asriel gestured to Sans. Sergio looked over to the skeleton, who nodded at him as if to reassure that the human could trust him.

Maybe it was a good idea to have Sans here after all.

"What do you know about the first human who fell here?" Asriel began.

"He died, you absorbed 'is soul, and you died tryna take 'im back ta the surface. Somehow along the way, flowas got mixed up. And the rest is history."

Asriel nodded. "That is a summarized version of it. Yes, I absorbed his soul for that reason. I had no idea of the effects this would bring. When I became Flowey...I had little emotion for anything."

"Ya felt soulless, and ya thought it was a good idea ta cross me." The more Asriel talked, the more opportunity the goat had to spew more lies. "I don't care 'bout ya sobstory. Jest tell me what the warnin' is."

Asriel huffed, as if a little hurt by Sergio's retort. "Our battle was supposed to leave me dead, but here I am, walking. Which means that Tobias is still around somewhere."

"And why would I care 'bout Tobias?"

"He was the driving force behind the aggression in Flowey. We were more powerful than what you saw during our battle. While he applied the pressure, I held back his will to the best of my ability."

"I'mma stop you right there. You tellin' me that it was Tobias, a human, that set out ta kill me? So why you kept callin' me Tobias?"

"He made me think that you were him, the one who had brought this fate upon me in the first place. Before my body had...shattered, I finally realized that you couldn't have been him. I had wanted to apologize for my actions during this realization, but it felt as though Tobias had control at that moment..."

It was bad enough to see that Asriel was still talking, but how much sense the goat was making was worse. Sergio remembered Asriel's last words before vanishing in light: _"You have done well...Sergio."_ Those words were spoken in a voice the human had never heard before. If what Asriel said was true, it was entirely possible Sergio heard Tobias's voice at the battle's end. In itself, it didn't mean much, but that fact added into the whole scheme of things turned this situation on its head.

Nevertheless, Sergio needed to take this information with a grain of salt. This _was_ the same monster who told him that magical attacks were "friendliness pellets" and nearly coffined him.

"You believe all a' this, Sans?" the human asked.

"So far, he hasn't told a single lie...knowingly," the skeleton added, an eyebrow raised. "I can detect if someone willingly gives untruths. But this doesn't account for honest mistakes in retelling events. The way he saw things might differ from reality."

This reinforced Sergio's doubt. Asriel's jaw clenched.

"Let's jest say, fa argument's sake, that youtellin' the truth, and that Tobias is still out there. What's that mean fa me?"

"You've seen what he did during our battle. He may not have magic, but he still has an invisible power within him. He influenced the entire underground at one point, just as you do now. With the barrier gone, and knowing what he did when magic was within his grasp, there's no telling _what_ he'll do, not just to you, but to everyone."

Asriel may have been a punk, but his logic, for the most part, seemed infallible. Despite this, Sergio kept his mental defenses high in case the goat slipped up.

"So what I'm supposed ta do if I see this fool, _if_ he alive?"

"He needs to be sent to prison for his crimes against the underground. If possible, we need to capture him while-"

"'We?'" Sergio scoffed. "Ain't no 'we' involved, playa. I ain't chasin' afta no ghosts. If you wanna run around and get ya Peta Venkman on, go 'head. Jest don't expect me ta play along."

Incredulous, Asriel blinked. "Sergio, please..."

"You done had ya chance ta be taken seriously, bruh. What you sayin' make sense, but I'mma believe this nonsense 'bout Tobias when and if I see 'im." Sergio crossed his arms, keeping a firm glare on the monster.

Asriel turned to the skeleton. "Sans?"

He raised his hands resignedly. "Well, you already know what I think. Can't exactly change Serge's opinion, though."

The goat's shoulders slumped, as if Sans was his last hope to convince Sergio. His expression hardened. "Just stay vigilant, Sergio. And when you find Tobias, tell me."

"And wheneva you wanna catch anotha L, tell _me_ ," Sergio snapped back.

Asriel sighed, shaking his head. He put on his hood and vanished into the Snowdin wilderness.

 **. . .**

"Can ya believe that dude?" Sergio addressed Sans as they unboarded the River Person's boat in Hotland. "Afta tryna kill me twice, he jest like 'Oh, it wasn't me, it was Tobias.' What kinda crap is that? And you sure he was tellin' the truth, or was you jest humorin' 'im?"

"Well, his claims _do_ seem far-out," Sans agreed. "But I still stand by what I said. I believe he was telling the truth to the best of his ability."

"How can ya know if he was, though? It was hard ta read 'is blank expression."

"The same way I know that you didn't just 'lose' your jacket." Sans's assertion floored the human, causing his mouth to hang agape. "Look, kid, I know you hate the guy, but consider this: During all the time I'd seen him...like this, he hasn't withheld the truth about anything. You, on the other hand, didn't tell me the full story about your jacket or, more importantly, the strange, LV-like sense I get from you. However, you've never killed anyone down here - even when you think you did - so I figured you weren't as dangerous as you want to appear sometimes."

"Yeah, but you ain't know 'im as long as you did me," Sergio defended.

"So are you saying that the more I get to know you, the more truth you'll keep from me?" Sans came back, raising an eyebrow.

"N-no! I'm sayin'..." Sergio fumbled for a subject. "Look, rememba when you was talkin' ta me 'bout talkin' flowas back at Grillby's? Don't that make Asriel jest a bit mo' suspicious?"

"I remember that. But, last I checked, the kid wasn't a talking flower." Sans's answer left the human speechless. Every time Sergio thought of something to add, he nixed bringing it up. The skeleton took advantage of the silence to say, "I'm not gonna say I know everything about the situation or that you should follow him into a valley of death. But I know that there's goodness in _your_ heart, and I see the same thing in Asriel. It wouldn't be fair if I gave _you_ a chance and disregarded _him_."

"You had a promise for Toriel when it came ta me, though."

"And if Toriel knew that her son was actually okay, she'd ask me to take good care of _him_ , too."

Sergio breathed a bit noisily as he pondered the words the two had exchanged. "So you sayin' trust 'im?"

"It's like what I said when we first met at Snowdin: There are people down here who want to help you. Remember that, after surviving...whatever happened between you two, the first thing he did was to warn you about Tobias. If I was him, I'd want to see my family first thing. What he said must be real important." Sans closed his eyesockets. "Eh, I'm sure you'll figure it out. I'll be around."

With that, Sans walked away from Alphys's lab, disappearing in a strange darkness before Sergio's eyes. Sergio was left with his thoughts as he stood there, alone in the red, rocky clearing.

Sans's arguments all but shattered Sergio's preconceptions about Asriel. Looking at the circumstances objectively, he knew that Asriel was certainly a different person outside of his flower form. While Flowey wore his heart upon his sleeve (in a figurative sense), Asriel was rather detached as he gave the rundown of what he thought was happening. Also, since there was less reason for Sans to betray Sergio because of the open barrier, there was less reason for Asriel to try to deceive him.

 _Unless he still tryna get revenge like the snake he is..._

It was certainly a lot to think about as he entered Alphys's lab, especially since he, Papyrus, and Undyne were to watch anime the whole night.

* * *

 **Hello, reader. Welcome to _New York State of Mind_. Whether you are a returning reader or a newcomer to the SergioTale saga, I thank you for reading the first chapter of the newest installment. I can't guarantee when the next chapter will be released, but I _can_ guarantee you that this story will entertain you if you've made it this far. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a long ride of treachery, political intrigue, and magic. **


	2. Chapter 2: John Travolta Swagger

**Chapter 2: John Travolta Swagger**

Sergio hated formal wear; it were impractical for "bidness" on the city streets, and it gave a misleading impression of him. He didn't want to present himself as anything more than your local hood rat who occasionally stole things and hurt people if necessary. Nevertheless, current evens were important enough for him to ignore his inhibitions for a while.

He dried off his face after washing it, looking at himself in a mirror. He had a somewhat oblong face with dark brown eyes that saw more than what a fifteen-year-old should have. He had a small, fading scar across his forehead, the conditions of which still leaving an invisible scar within that remained fresh.

Sergio couldn't legally acquire fancy clothes for this event, so he resorted to wearing clothes left over from when Tobias lived underground: a navy blue vest over a white Sunday shirt, navy dress pants, and black shoes. This getup was familiar to the human; he remembered a dream he had where he was wearing the same outfit, including a tie, as he met a goat version of Asriel. That both circumstances became reality was a shocking thought. He tried not to think about it as he walked out of Asgore's guest room, a black tie in his hand.

"You know how ta tie one a' these thangs?" he asked Asgore.

"Ah...I've never worn them. Your mother -" the king cleared his throat, "- _Toriel_ was the one who knew how to do that."

As far as Sergio knew, Toriel was in Snowdin or back in the ruins. He wasn't going to make a trip all the way back just to get assistance to tie a half Windsor. He tossed it back in the guest room.

Also, he caught the king's faux pas, the statement leaving a bitter taste in the human's mouth.

 _Clunk-clunk-clunk._ Undyne appeared in the armor she was wearing the previous night, the newly-polished pieces gleaming in the sunlight from a skylight above. Sergio's brows furrowed at the sight of her.

"You sure you wanna be wearin' all that?"

"Why not? If I'm acting as security, I may as well wear my armor in case things get rough," Undyne replied.

"Yeah, but where we goin', it's gon' be a lotta walkin'. All that arma would be countaintuitive."

"Ha! That doesn't matter to me!" Undyne scoffed. "I once wore my armor for three days straight!"

 _Guess she got a point._ "Aight. But once we go up there, there's even betta arma that humans use nowadays, and you can move fasta in it. I know a guy who might be able ta hook you up."

"Is it chain mail?" The guard was most likely thinking of the anime they had watched the previous night.

"Heh-heh, even betta than that."

"So, I take it we're all ready?" Asgore asked. Sergio and Undyne nodded. "All right. Sergio, lead the way."

After the trio left the king's home, they were bombarded with flashing cameras and curious journalists, all asking them questions about their political expedition. One "journalist" in particular had caught Sergio's eye in a bad way...

"...walking out now with King Asgore and Captain Undyne! Sergio, darling, a moment of your time, please?" A bipedal robot attired in a purple suit beckoned the human, holding a microphone in one hand. The robot had glistening, flowing black hair that covered one eye and a charismatic smile that only made Sergio's blood boil. Beside the robot was one of many monsters pointing a camera at the trio.

Sergio and company didn't stop to answer any questions, which was fine with the human, and continued towards the once-existing barrier. Like last time, guards quickly separated from their formation, providing the trio clearance towards the underground's exit.

The path got darker and darker as they went away from the Capital. Asgore summoned a flame to illuminate the area around them. The stony ground inclined upward slightly as they got closer to the surface. Eventually, they saw a hint of daylight crawl from above. The area got brighter around them as they progressed towards the mouth of the cave.

"We're almost there. Sergio, have you any last minute advice before we taste sunlight?" Asgore requested.

Sergio thought for a minute. "Yeah. When we go out there, walk like ya own the place. Walk wit the John Travolta swagga, where ya don't even pay attention ta lookin' suckas. You care 'bout first impressions, so one that shows you ain't afraid a' humans'll make an impact."

"I see. So, how does one emulate the 'swagger' of this John Travolta fellow?"

"Heh-heh, when we get up there, I'mma show ya."

The sounds of birds chirping and wind whistling through the leaves became more prominent as they approached the cave's boundary. A solid column of sunlight shone down on the ground. After a short climb up, the three stepped out of the underground and into the surface.

Sergio knew to stop for a minute when they got to that point. Asgore and Undyne were speechless as they viewed the lush, green grass and the browning leaves in the tall trees. They were in a more heavily wooded area of the park, with an open field just up ahead.

"It's...beautiful," Undyne commented, her voice laced with awe. She pointed at the clear, golden brightness in the sky. "Is that...?"

"The Sun," murmured Asgore. "I never thought something so simple could be so divine."

Sergio rolled his eyes, but he understood where they were coming from. Being underground for a couple of days made him realize that he took the plainest aspects of surface life, such as the Sun, grass, the gentle breeze, and the changing seasons for granted. What he felt when he saw the surface again couldn't have compared to what the other two were feeling. The thought that those emotions would be magnified a lot if everything went smoothly sent a warm feeling in Sergio's chest.

He cleared his throat to get rid of the mushy feelings inside. _I'm jest doin' a fava, nothin' more._ The sound brought the monsters back to Earth, and they continued on their way.

From their perspective, there was a group of college-aged kids playing ultimate frisbee in the far left side of the field. A large family was having a picnic at a dining area. A yoga class was having a lesson outdoors as they contorted their bodies in strange ways on their tie-dyed mats. A few ladies were walking small dogs on a cement path. As the trio emerged from the woods, all of these events appeared to cease, almost suspended in animation. Soon enough, every eye was transfixed upon the well-dressed teenager accompanied by two strange-looking creatures.

Sergio felt all of the humans' stares as they walked towards the business district, certain that the monsters felt the same thing. Their gaits all faltered in response to the sudden attention. Sergio expected a frenzied exodus from the park as humans ran for their lives.

But nothing of the sort happened. In his peripheral vision, Sergio saw a few people take out their phones, the cameras pointing directly at them. The crowd murmured as they most likely photographed or recorded the monarch, soldier, and hood rat.

"They're taking this...rather well," said Asgore.

"Are they taking reconnaissance photos?!" Undyne surmised, gnashing her teeth.

"Heh, relax, Undyne. Ain't no spies 'round here." _As far as I know._ "Come on, we got a City Hall ta go to."

Sergio began strutting towards the cement path that led to the park's exterior, walking to the beat of a familiar Bee Gees song playing in his head.

"Is this the 'John Travolta swagger' you've talked about?" Asgore questioned.

"Uh-huh. Eyes forward, shouldas movin' back and forth, and head held high. Show the rest a' the world what's good."

"I like it," Undyne appraised. Sergio glanced backward at the two; Asgore walked with a slower, regal gait, while Undyne marched in a militant manner, her back erect and shoulders square. It wasn't exactly John Travolta-like, but they didn't look as pitiful as they were a minute ago.

"How does it breathe out of water?" Sergio heard somebody say.

"Did they lose their way to a convention or something?" another human said.

"What _ELSE_ is in that forest?"

More humans reacted in a similar vein as the trio reached the streets of Lower Manhattan. Tall structures surrounded the landscape, large banners and electronic screens attached to them. Sergio eyed the street signs posted on every intersection, quickly remembering where they were. He was positive that their presence had stopped traffic numerous times, incessant honking coupled with barrages of swear words from angry drivers.

The trio stopped at the corner of Warren and Broadway, stopping behind a crowd of pedestrians. A child holding her mother's hand noticed the strange creatures behind her. Instead of an expression of shock or fear, she had a curious look on her face.

"Are you a real goat?" she chirped, looking at Asgore.

The king chuckled, as if taken aback by the inquiry. "Why, yes I am."

"Hannah, don't talk to strange..." The child's mother turned toward the two creatures, hardly registering the hood rat. The mother's reaction contrasted with the child's, her jaw falling to the floor, her eyes as wide as headlights.

"Howdy, there, ma'am," Asgore greeted, bowing his head slightly. The mother gasped loudly, her grip on her child's hand tightening. A few more people turned around to investigate the cause of the mother's distress. Murmurs arose from the crowd, some nudging others to direct their attention to this phenomenon.

"How is it talking?" someone said.

Bewildered, Asgore replied, "How are _you_ talking?"

"This is so trippy," another human commented.

Sergio saw that the crosswalk signal gave the pedestrians clearance and said, "Ay, some of us got somewhere ta be!"

This was enough to get the crowd moving across the six-lane street, some still staring at the armored fish and the cloaked goat. Asgore quietly muttered to Sergio, "What happened to first impressions?"

"Y'all the ones supposed ta make good impressions, not me. 'Sides, if anythang, I'mma make y'all look betta."

"You have to admit, he _did_ clear the way for us. Although, I'd just shove anyone who stood in my way," Undyne said.

"That's still no reason to be rude."

Sergio sighed. "You'll learn."

After making two more turns, the City Hall was within sight. It was a two-story building with four flags posted on the roof, a shining clock built on top. There was moderate foot traffic going in and out of the building, some pedestrians audibly noticing the monsters accompanying the human. Undyne was behind Sergio right then, but he speculated that the guard glowered at anyone who would have posed a threat to her king. Asgore most likely waved at all who stared at them.

Sergio opened the front door, the monsters following in his path. They were in the building's main lobby, with a receptionist focused on a telephone call and data she was entering on a computer. The room buzzed with hecticness for the first few seconds they were inside. As more people saw the City Hall's newest visitors, the lobby was quickly hushed. The receptionist at the front desk was the last to notice the new arrivals. Her eyes flicked forward temporarily before moving back toward her paper. She did a double-take towards the front door, now transfixed on the visitors.

"Can I...help you?" The receptionist's wary inquiry broke the silence that surrounded the lobby. Sergio noticed her slowly reaching for a panic button under her desk. He looked at Asgore, cocking his head towards the receptionist.

The king cleared his throat. "Greetings, miss. My name is Asgore Dreemurr, accompanied by my captain Undyne and this young man named Sergio." He gestured toward the respective guard and human. "I request to convene with the president -"

Sergio coughed. "Mayor," he whispered.

"... _Mayor,_ of this city. When would be a good time to speak with him?" He spoke with humility and tact, as if he had practiced saying something like this all his life.

The receptionist spent some time taking this all in; she may have thought Asgore and Undyne were people in suits, but seeing the goat's lips move in perfect conjunction to his words would have debunked any such theories. On the upside, the receptionist's hand moved away from the potential panic button, instead pressing a button on her desk phone. "Mr. DeMarco, I think you'll want to see this."

There was silence as the receptionist heard the mayor's reply. Then, she answered, "You have visitors. Unique visitors."

 **. . .**

 **Meanwhile...**

Asriel wasn't the only monster who could hardly sleep the previous night. News spread rapidly about his father's slated negotiation with the human leaders on the surface, where the king would discuss monster land rights and cooperation between two civilizations. If everything went well, the monsters would have been able to ship out of the underground before the week was over.

The prince rolled his eyes at the thought. He had a taste of what politics was like, and negotiations seldom came easily. To think that a solution would arise so quickly was laughable. The monsters were nothing if not idealistic.

He spent part of the night searching for an acceptable place to sleep, while still keeping a low profile. Anywhere in the Capital was out of consideration; knowing his father, the area would have been populated with guards to protect against encroaching humans.

Asriel had asked Sans for a favor once already, and he didn't feel like owing another one by asking to stay at his home. Even if he wanted to, he had no idea where Sans was; the skeleton was nowhere near Snowdin as far as Asriel could see, and Papyrus would have gotten too curious if the prince kept hiding his face.

He had a crazy idea to go to the ruins and reside in the first royal abode. He scoffed at the thought at first, but continued to entertain it as he sat in the middle of the Snowdin woods. From what he'd seen as a flower, his mother exiled herself to the ruins after he and Tobias "died." A pang of resentment shot through him. _It's my fault they divorced._

With that knowledge in mind, he first thought that staying in the ruins would have been counterproductive. The only one living in the house in the ruins would have been his mother. He pictured the house in his mind; in one side of the house, his mother was reading in the living room, her reading glasses on, fire crackling in the background. On the other side of the house was the hallway with a couple of bedrooms. If it was necessary, Asriel could have snuck inside and crept toward his bedroom without alerting his mother.

Plus, he had already "died" twice. He wasn't going to die a third time from hypothermia.

He headed toward the door that separated Snowdin from the ruins. His hand didn't even touch the doorknob when it seemed to open on its own accord. Realizing what was happening, he stayed behind the door as it swung open, then dove into the wooded area nearby.

"...so I said to him, 'Look, Grillb, I know you're a walking flame, but that's no reason to be a hothead.'" Only one of two people could have made a joke so bad, and the rattling of bones confirmed who it was. A mild-mannered chuckle escaped the monster who accompanied the skeleton.

Asriel initially thought the situation was a close brush with misfortune; if he had reacted a nanosecond later, his mother would have found him standing outside the door. Even though he had his hood on, there was no telling how much Toriel could see after knowing what a non-boss monster like Sans could discern.

Sans exited the ruins after Toriel, closing the door behind them. Before continuing his outing with the former queen, he looked directly at Asriel in the woods and nodded at him. Asriel waited until the two were out of earshot before clandestinely slipping inside the ruins.

He walked down the corridor that led to the house's stairwell, considering what just happened. What was almost an unfortunate event turned out to be in his favor after all. Whatever Sans had planned with his mother, it got her out of the house, at least for a little bit, so Asriel could sneak in without incident. The skeleton even nodded at the prince as if he knew Asriel would be there! How much _did_ this skeleton know?

Asriel kicked the snow off his feet before ascending the stairwell, surprised to see the house still lit up. Wherever Toriel was going, she didn't expect to be gone long. He immediately took to his bedroom.

As expected, he got a whiff of stuffy, recycled air the moment he opened the door. He turned on a lamp on the far side of the room, viewing everything inside. He sighed when he took in the plain, yet memorable decor inside: The walls were painted scarlet, since it was his favorite color back when he lived here; an intricate, homemade rug was laid out in the middle of the wooden floor; a framed picture of himself, his parents, and Tobias sat on top of his drawer, upon which the prince looked with nostalgia.

 _Times were much more simple back then. Asriel met Tobias when they were both twelve years old. Despite the history between their species, the two immediately hit it off._

 _Knowing the human's predicament, the king and queen at the time adopted Tobias as a second son. It seemed foolish not to, seeing how well their biological son got along with Tobias. Additionally, it wasn't as if anyone knew how to surpass the barrier._

 _After exploring the ruins together, Toriel had called them to their house for dinner. Asriel could hardly sit still; who would have thought that he'd make friends with a HUMAN, of all beings?_

 _The queen lifted the lid from the serving plate. "I made snail pie!"_

 _Asriel's face twisted with disgust. "Blegh, snail pie again?"_

 _Tobias looked at the concoction with interest. "Snail pie? Intriguing. Snails are considered delicacies in the surface."_

 _"Well, I'd say the humans have good taste," Toriel surmised, chuckling. Asriel kept scowling at the pie before looking at his father. A look of understanding passed between them; neither of them were huge fans of the dish._

Everything about that particular memory had changed. Well, almost everything. Asriel's opinion on snail pie remained constant, even when he was a flower.

He folded his cloak and put it under his bed. After locking the door, he thoroughly buried himself under the covers, keeping in mind that his mother would come back soon.

On the morning when the initial negotiations took place, Asriel felt more tired than he had when he crashed there. As the night went on, he was plagued with more bittersweet memories involving his adoptive human brother, coupled with anxiety about whatever nefarious plans Tobias had in store for the surface. He was almost hoping he would receive a vision as to what Tobias was doing that night, but no such thing occurred.

He put his cloak back on and exited the room, stealing towards the exit. His hand almost touched the stairwell's handrail when he heard a voice behind him.

"Oh? I didn't know I had a visitor."

It was Toriel. Asriel stopped everything for a moment to look at her, his face covered by his hood again. Like his father, she hadn't aged at all since the last time he had seen her while in goat form. It was intriguing for him to witness this phenomenon all those decades as a flower. Though Toriel and Asgore were boss monsters, Asriel had never heard of any living for so long. Maybe they discovered a fountain of youth in Waterfall. Maybe they willed themselves to live until they saw their son again.

The last thought sent a fresh wave of remorse through his being. He huffed before exiting the house.

"Wait! You don't have to leave!" called Toriel, walking after him by the sound of it. Asriel sped up his pace as he descended the stairs, not daring to look back. Though Toriel still protested his abrupt departure, she eventually ceased her pursuit.

As Asriel stepped into the frigid weather of Snowdin, another dismal thought crossed his mind. His mother tried to prevent Sergio from leaving the ruins when the human first fell here. It was partly to protect him and the surface world from Asgore's wrath and partly to protect herself from the looming sense of boredom held within the ruins. It was even worse considering that Toriel's visitors arrived many years apart from one another.

He felt ambivalence toward the surprise interaction with Toriel. On the one hand, his disguise continued to work in full effect, as Toriel had no idea who stayed in her house. She also reacted quite well to seeing a potential stranger in her house, who stayed there all night without her knowledge, no less. On the other hand, with his mother's loneliness in mind, Asriel couldn't help but think that he had hurt her in some way. After her last visitor fought his way free, Toriel may have thought that she wasn't meant to have guests. As soon as she received a pleasant surprise, her new guest left without even showing his or her face.

He couldn't bear to think about what was going through Toriel's mind right then. _Is it still worth concealing my identity?_ He saw firsthand what such an act would entail. Of course, most monsters down here didn't miss the fabled "Fallen Prince," so he wasn't hurting everyone. However, his parents were still aching from his "death," and his refusal for humiliation started to appear more selfish as time went on. Nevertheless, the public announcement of the prince's return would only add to the turmoil currently surrounding the underground. Also, once it was confirmed that Asriel was alive, Tobias would likely make a move to draw him out in the open, making the most out of the public spectacle.

 _First Tobias, then a reunion._

He could only hope it'd be that easy.

 **. . .**

 **Meanwhile...** **  
**  
Willis DeMarco sat in front of the young hood rat, eyeing the monsters sitting beside the teenager, potentially still in unbelief. His fair-colored face drooped with fatigue, his light green eyes showing that he was mostly in his job for the money. The bitter scent of tobacco was seeped into his cerulean suit.

"...In conclusion, Mayor DeMarco, we ask for your support as we transition from our old home to a potential new home here on the surface," said Asgore. Sergio had to hand it to the king; he managed to succinctly summarize the underground's vast history while skillfully omitting the more damning aspects of it, such as the deaths of six human under the surface. Now, it looked as if the negotiations would come to a close one way or another.

DeMarco stared at Asgore with a cynical look, tapping his fingers on his office desk, leaning back in his chair. His face hardened. "Poverty. Homelessness. Protests blocking the streets. Allegations of police corruption. Unemployment. Tax increases and cuts. I deal with all of these issues and more, and these are just ones that we, _humans_ , face. Now I'm hearing talk about underground civilizations and magic from a talking goat. You have to understand, Mr. Dreemurr, that I have a lot on my plate as things are. I can't see the city babysitting _ten thousand_ funny-looking creatures that just happened to see the sun in recent times."

Sergio saw Undyne's fist clench in his peripherals. He knew she wanted to protest the mayor's claims, but a small _tap_ indicated Asgore's foot hitting hers, prompting her to remain silent.

"I assure you, you won't have to 'babysit' the monsters in any way." Sergio could almost hear Asgore's teeth clenching as he spoke. "Actually, I'm offering an opportunity for us to synergize so that both of our groups can prosper."

"Well, if you want advice from a _real_ politician, then continue to 'prosper' underground." DeMarco's tone was steely and terminal.

Asgore gulped. "Mayor DeMarco -"

"Before you leave, Mr. Dreemurr, I'll finish with this: This land is owned by the _humans_ of New York. Even though you call yourself a king, you and the rest of your 'subjects' are under _our_ jurisdiction the minute you step onto the surface. Now, there might be a day where the council will allow the monsters to roam the surface. But don't hold your breath. James," DeMarco referred to a guard standing by the doorway, "see them out."

That was it. After the underground had gotten hyped about going to the surface, their first chance to do so in a civil and legal manner was shot down. Sergio wasn't too particularly surprised at the results when he looked at Asgore. The king's face remained neutral, but Sergio could tell he was disappointed in DeMarco's closed-mindedness. Asgore pulled out all the stops, giving a brief history of the underground, outlining the monsters' requests, and courteously asking for support.

"I thank you for your time, Mayor DeMarco, and I hope we can make further negotiations in the near future," said Asgore, extending a hand toward the mayor.

DeMarco stared at the clawed hand, hardly budging. "Likewise."

Asgore's hand awkwardly fell back inside his cloak. "Well...Sergio?" The hood rat couldn't tell if the king sought more advice from his human insider or told him to lead the way. Sergio assumed the latter and headed for the exit. James opened the office door to let them out.

"What a jerk!" Undyne opined, her face scrunched up with annoyance as the trio left DeMarco's office. "He treated Asgore like some little kid!"

"Heh-heh, New Yorkas feel the exact same way 'bout 'im, bruh," Sergio said. "This is jest a taste a' what New York got ta offa sometimes."

"Well, we can't give up now, not when we're so close. Mayor DeMarco's main concern is dealing with issues that may arise with with our intermingling. I thought we could convince him in a diplomatic matter, but now we'll have to use beta plan," Asgore concluded.

"What's beta plan?" Sergio asked. The hood rat opened the City Hall's front door. Immediately the trio was broadsided with camera flashes, akin to what happened underground a few hours ago. Human journalists held microphones up, everyone yelling over one another trying to get questions.

" _This_ is beta plan," Asgore said, a winning smile across his face. He and the others walked down the exterior stairs to approach the journalists. He then raised his hands to calm the growing crowd, calling, "Please, one question at a time!"

There was an awed silence for a split second before someone from the back asked, "Who _are_ you guys?"

"Where did you come from?" another inquired.

"My name is Asgore Dreemurr. I am the king of an underground civilization of monsters that resides here in New York. I am accompanied by my captain Undyne and our human guide Sergio."

"Wusgood?" Sergio chimed in, earning a few honest laughs from reporters.

"What are you planning to do at City Hall?" someone else questioned, camera clicks sounding in the background.

"My goal is to integrate our two civilizations in a way that promotes positive interaction and growth for both groups. After finding this wonderful city and getting a slight taste of its rich culture, my first order of business was to contact the mayor. I've talked with Mr. DeMarco already, and I am awaiting confirmation to launch the moving process," Asgore answered.

The reporters displayed genuine fascination at the king's words. It was probably surprising enough to find a talking goat walking on two legs, but to discover one that spoke so well had to leave some of them beside themselves.

"I got a question for Sergio: How did you find Asgore and Undyne?"

 _Stick ta the script._ "I was walkin' down the park and found 'em lost, like they ain't know where they were." Sergio shrugged. "I was curious as ta what they were and what they was doin'. Then they told me they wanted ta see the mayor. Now we here."

"And what do _you_ do?" someone asked Undyne.

"I protect King Asgore when he's on the surface," the guard answered, not breaking from her militant tone or stance.

"What will you expect to see on the surface, King Asgore?"

"Based on what I've learned from Sergio, I'm eager to see the wondrous landscapes and learn more about your history. But most of all, I anticipate meeting interesting new people such as yourselves."

Sergio looked at Asgore, nodding. Whatever "beta plan" was, it was working swimmingly with the masses. He could tell that the small group of journalists, as well as regular people who caught notice, were falling in love with the mysterious goatlike creature from underground. It was then when he realized what "beta plan" was: Asgore intended to get as many humans on his side as possible.

If only they knew the whole story.

. . .

The trio returned underground by around midday, Sergio eager to change out of his formal clothes. He was back into his black shirt and cargo pants as he traveled back to Hotland, entering Alphys's lab. When he and the others were on the surface, he got a text message from Alphys stating that she was getting access to channels she'd never seen before, and that she saw the trio on the small screen. The human had to see this.

The automatic doors opened with a _whoosh_ as Sergio approached the entrance. Immediately he was greeted by a series of TV screens that showed surveillance tapes of the underground in real time. He then noticed a yellow, reptilian monster wearing a lab coat. The monster had a hunched back, glasses, buck teeth, and a spiky back to her head resembling Lisa Simpson. She had a habit for rubbing her hands nervously, but she lightened up upon seeing Sergio.

"How many new channels ya got now?" Sergio asked.

"I'm still flipping through them as we speak!" Alphys explained, leading the human to her living quarters, or her "anime accommodations," as she called it. The room was filled with cutesy posters of an anime girl with cat ears. A plush couch stood in the middle of the room, across a moderately-sized TV. "I discovered it just when you guys left City Hall."

"Huh. So, how was it you was able ta get any surface reception? I mean, undaground internet cain't even access what the surface got."

"Have to give credit to Gaster; with the Core, we're able to have a cable and internet system, which technically shouldn't have been possible. I think when the barrier broke, we started getting your channels down here."

"That's kinda weird. Humans gotta pay cable companies ta watch TV. But y'all jest needed a broke barria. So, do this extend ta everybody in the undaground?"

"Not at first. I did a little poking around before the channels were sent out to everyone."

"Was everybody able ta see us at City Hall?"

"No, but that was only one newscast. There are more sure to come." Alphys picked up her remote and continued flipping through the channels.

"Guess you gon' have a wida selection a' anime ta watch," Sergio commented.

"Well, you're not wrong," Alphys admitted. They came across a channel that was presenting a midday report on the surface.

 _"New York has seen its fair share of curious events, but few come close to this: Underground creatures with their own civilization who want to make here in the city." The newscast cut to Asgore speaking to the press at City Hall._

 _"My name is Asgore Dreemurr. I am the king of an underground civilization of monsters that resides here in New York."_

 _"It started in social media, where dozens of residents took notice of Asgore Dreemurr along with a guard and a human teenager at Kennedy Park. The teenager, currently only known as 'Sergio,' gave his account of what happened."_

 _"I was walkin' down the park and found 'em lost, like they ain't know where they were," said the formally-dressed Sergio. "They told me they wanted ta see the mayor. Now we here."_

Alphys knew about the script that Asgore wanted for his rhetoric, so she wasn't surprised from Sergio's words in the newscast. Nevertheless, she said, "Asgore's gonna have a heck of a day once this gets out."

"Ay, he been the king for howeva long, so he gon' be prepared."

"I know _he_ will, but...will you?" Alphys's tone became slightly grave.

It was a fair question; even more than wearing formal attire, Sergio secretly dreaded being in the public eye. He usually preferred to remain in the shadows, practically invisible to the general population. Now, his given name and face were about to spread throughout all of New York - scratch that, the whole world. He was aware of the risks beforehand and found that these costs didn't outweigh the benefits of helping his friends.

Plus, he still had "the juice." If people stepped up to him looking for trouble, they'd get a butt-whooping deluxe with extra heat.

"'Course I can. I'm a New Yorka. One thang ya gotta know 'bout us is that we can handle anythang," Sergio said confidently.  
could imagine it: A cloaked figure who wouldn't listen to her who had just defended himself against the supposed strongest monster of the underground  
"But can they handle monsters?"

"That...I don't know. Guess we'll see what happens."

 **. . .**

 **Meanwhile...**

The king had taken to more TV appearances in the underground ever since the barrier was broken; therefore, he was currently occupied with an interview. This made Asriel's job a lot easier.

The prince was in the Capital, almost trotting to the king's residence. He opened the castle door, expecting to see someone inside, but the area was empty. The silence inside was eerie, as if an omen for him to turn back. He steeled his nerves before he descended the stairwell.

It was uneventful as he made the long walk past the cathedral corridor and down the stony hallway. After turning a corner, he noticed a platoon of guards standing watch just inside of the barrier. He couldn't fault his father for taking this safety precaution, but it he also couldn't say this helped Asriel.

He pinned his back to the stone wall, picturing different scenarios in his mind, all related to his escape. He needed to do something that would keep the guards at bay without killing any of them. He didn't know how the guards were to operate, but he didn't want to find out the hard way.

After coming to a decision, he walked toward the group of guards, who stiffened up upon seeing him. One soldier walked in front of the rest and called in a gruff voice, "Halt! State your business!"

Asriel said nothing, his hands stuffed in his cloak's pockets. The voice belonged to one of Sergio's friends, a blue fishlike monster with long red hair. He knew her to be a formidable opponent, so he knew to tread lightly; nevertheless, he kept walking.

"I'm warning you, back off!" The captain balled her fists, standing her ground in front of the soldier formation. It looked as though Asgore didn't want anybody coming in or going out without him. He wondered if the soldiers' orders would have been the same if his mother shared the reign.

He kept pushing onward, getting ever closer to the barrier beyond the soldiers. The captain summoned a spear, placing its base on the ground. "This is your last warning! Turn back now!"

Would Asgore command his soldiers to kill anyone who didn't immediately follow his captain's directives? It didn't seem likely, but stranger things had happened. Asriel didn't know if his previous brushes with death made him more courageous, or if his goal seemed more important than the growing fear of failure. Regardless, he pressed on, keeping a tactical outlook on the captain.

When Asriel refused to stop walking to the barrier, the captain flipped her glowing spear and cast the blunt end towards the anonymous prince. He took a hand out of his pocket and summoned a two-foot magical sword to deflect the spear before it could hit him, not breaking his stride. The captain looked upon him with surprise before casting another spear by the blunt end. Asriel blocked the spear with the flat end of the sword, the spear falling to his feet before dissolving.

There was another pause as the captain tried to understand what was happening. Asriel kept getting closer, not using magic offensively. Despite his relative pacifism, the captain grunted and pointed at him. "Subdue him!" she commanded.

The legion of soldiers began to summon their own magic, dozens of beams flying towards Asriel. Now running for the exit, the prince summoned two swords now, throwing them around himself. They spun in a circular motion around the prince, creating a defensive barrier that blocked some attacks that came at him. Instead of running around or away from the captain, Asriel ran directly toward her, disorienting her to an extent. The captain formulated another spear and threw it with great force, possibly enough to break Asriel's barrier. The prince grabbed one of his swords in midair and sliced the spear before it could hit him, feeling a great vibration in the sword's handle.

Asriel was five feet away from the captain, who looked absolutely enraged. The sword barrier still surrounding him, he summoned a burst of flames below his feet, propelling him upward. He landed on the captain's shoulders, instantly bounding from one soldier to another. He moved in a sporadic pattern, keeping the soldiers guessing. One of the soldiers got smart and brought an arm up to catch the prince. Asriel dodged the arm and found a hole in their formation, landing on the ground between a small group of soldiers. The prince lifted an arm up, casting a large white star to land beside him. The star's impact with the ground shook the earth around him, causing some soldiers to stumble and fall.

Now that the prince was in the middle of their ranks, the soldiers were less likely to use projectile weapons to capture him. His swords disappeared as he ran through the hole he made in the infantry. He sensed more magic coming from behind him when he exited their ranks and summoned the swords once more, blocking three attacks. He didn't look back as he cut towards the barrier.

"COME BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A REAL MAN...WOMAN...PERSON!" the captain taunted. Asriel was not one to fall prey to boorish jibes, so her sentiments fell on deaf ears. As the prince saw more sunlight coming in through the underground cave later on, he noticed a lack of metal clunks quickly approaching him. Despite the captain's less-than-stellar attitude towards him, she wasn't giving chase. It was either strict, yet spiteful obedience to Asgore's commands or a hidden cowardice within her.

He escaped the captain's clutches while mostly keeping his existence a secret. _Now onto the hard part._

* * *

 **Already getting into some action, and it's only Chapter 2. Just like in TGTU.**

 **I would like to thank those of you who have followed the story so far and everyone who read the whole chapter.**

 **The stage for the political campaign is set as Sergio gets the two politicians introduced. The discovery of human TV channels may be more trouble than it's actually worth. And to top it all off, Asriel's reckless acts shakes the confidence of the Royal Guard. How will all of these elements affect the monsters' progress towards coexistence with humans?**

 **Stay tuned for the next chapter of _New York State of Mind!_**


	3. Chapter 3: Cold Bodies, Colder Motives

**Chapter 3: Cold Bodies, Colder Motives  
**  
"...I think we should reconsider our indefinite protocol."

A conversation between Undyne, Asgore, and Alphys stopped for a moment as Sergio stepped into the throne room. Sergio had gotten a call from Undyne summoning him to the location, saying that what they needed to discuss was "urgent." There were few things scarier than an impatient talking fish, so the human reached the location as quickly as he could.

"So, what happened?" Sergio asked, getting straight to the point. He approached the table in the center of the throne room.

"Some PUNK escaped the underground!" Undyne growled, slamming her fist on the table.

"Just like...I tried ta do?" The human tiptoed with his words, uncertainty in his tone.

Asgore sighed. "We kept the soldiers at the cave not only to keep humans from coming _in_ , but also monsters from going _out_. Undyne has reported an incident where a monster got past our defenses and most likely traveled to the surface. With this in mind, we have reason to believe that our security may be compromised."

"Why you think that?" Sergio questioned.

"If some human punks got a hold of them and interrogated them on where we lived, the monster might crack under pressure and give away our location," Undyne answered.

Sergio nodded, stroking his chin. "You said it was only one monsta? How they was able ta get past all a' the guard?"

"My commands for Undyne were to subdue anyone who tried to go to the surface without clearance," Asgore explained. "I didn't want anyone to die in case something like this happened."

"Did the monsta fight back?"

"There were no casualties in the ranks," Undyne replied. "But we couldn't touch the fugitive, either. Someone who was _really_ skilled in magic is currently on the surface doing who-knows-what."

"Do we know who they are?"

"I have no clue," Undyne shook her head. "They had a cloak on that covered their face and body."

 _Gulp._ Just from that detail alone, Sergio could infer exactly who it was and the monster's purpose. Asriel was fixated on finding this Tobias kid, so much so that he _surpassed the Royal Guard_ to get to the surface. His emotion remained neutral so as not to raise suspicion in the monsters in front of him.

As for security being compromised, Sergio wanted to assure Asgore that the monster who escaped wouldn't have done anything so stupid, but not even the human could have trusted Asriel. The prince _said_ he was looking for Tobias, but Sergio still wasn't completely sure if the prince was honest.

"So, what's the plan now?" said Sergio.

"That's part of the issue; New York, as we've seen, is a big city. It'd take weeks to find someone who escaped. I don't want to sacrifice appearances or personnel by having any of our soldiers wandering around the city trying to find the fugitive," Asgore claimed.

"I could try ta find 'em," Sergio suggested. "I mean, I'm kinda famous now, but I can still blend in to an extent 'cause I'm a human. I think if I went in my street clothes, it wouldn't bring as much attention ta me."

"If you did that, you'd be put in the same boat as anyone else here looking for someone. Besides, if we _did_ find the fugitive, I don't know what we'd do with them. They don't seem like the type of person to come quietly, and killing them before they can talk will sully our campaign," said Asgore.

"Exposure won't be a problem. I know this city betta than anybody, and I know how ta get ta places while keepin' a low profile. I know you ain't tryna get no monstas killed, but lemme find out who it is, at least."

Asgore sighed, then nodded. "I will allow it. Find out who they are, but don't take any pictures. We don't want to risk getting the siutation leaked. Now, the rest of the underground is unaware of this incident. I intend to keep it that way so that the underground doesn't lose faith in its protection." Asgore's gaze passed over the three other people in the room, settling towards the royal scientist. "Alphys, you've been quiet. What is this I hear of the underground cable system?"

Her hands fidgeting near the edge of the table, Alphys disclosed, "Th-th-the cable system is p-p-picking up human channels. I adjusted the s-s-settings so that everyone c-c-could access them on their TVs."

"So it's true, then? The same could be said about online sources?" Asgore pressed.

"Yeah, I was able ta access YouTube on my phone and...make a call ta someone on the surface." Sergio omitted the fact that he prank-called a pizza restaurant with Sans and Papyrus. "Anythang you could call from the surface you can call here."

"Wait...If, from here, we can access everything on the surface...can the surface access everything down here?!" Undyne suspected, her eye wide with caution.

"Valid point, Undyne. Our security may be at risk on two different fronts. I don't care about humans seeing Mettaton as much as I do the humans accessing our surveillance. Alphys, I want an additional firewall - no, _two_ more firewalls added to the main underground's security network. Evaluate the surveillance tapes from the last 24 hours and find out where the fugitive has been recently. Delete the tapes that show his or her escape."

"Y-y-yes, Asgore," Alphys nodded.

"Now, our next move in the political realm is to continue garnering support for our cause. Sergio, have you seen anything on the internet about it?"

"Yeah, we trendin' on Twitta. There's already a hashtag called 'Free the Monstas.' It ain't too much yet, but I can tell that it's growin'. We even got people all the way in California rootin' for us. So what you said ta the press put in work."

A proud grin stretched across Asgore's face. "Just as I had planned it. There'll be a certain point to where Mr. DeMarco will _have_ to give us a proper listen. At what point do you think he'll give us audience again?"

"Ta be honest, he might not wanna talk to us again. Oldboy's kinda notorious for that. But, election season's comin' up soon, and DeMarco's runnin' for reelection. If ya cain't get a hold a' him, ya might try his opponent. If DeMarco's competition promises ta help you, that might get some mo' votas fa _him_ and guaranteed support for _us._ "

"And if DeMarco gets reelected, he'll feel more pressure to help us. So all we'll need to do right now is more public relations to expand our support group," Asgore concluded. "We've already shown up to City Hall. What other strategies do you think would work best?"

"I dunno, we could do TV intaviews, radio talk shows..." Sergio snapped his fingers in realization. "Kids."

"Kids?"

"Humans love kids, and politicians been usin' 'em since foreva in the surface. We put out a video wit monsta kids in it on the intanet and it goes viral, it'll reach more people than you can imagine. What we saw from the newscasts is jest the beginnin'."

Asgore nodded slowly, taking in the information. "I like that strategy. Could you and Undyne head to one of the underground schools and get some footage of the children there, maybe ask a few questions and get some footage of them?"

"Yeah, about that...I don't think I should be involved wit that. Afta seein' what happened at Snowdin one time, where kids was throwin' snowballs at me 'cause I shot up Mettaton, I think it's clear that a lotta kids don't want nothin' ta do wit me."

The monsters mumbled in agreement.

"All right, Undyne will go to the school along with a cameramonster to gain footage. Meanwhile, I will study Mr. DeMarco's political history and formulate a plan of attack when he and I meet again."

"Aight, good deal. So, we gon' head ta the surface as soon as we all done wit our assignments?"

"That is the plan, yes. I'll notify everyone here once the next phase of our campaign is ready. Are there any questions?" Asgore asked. After nobody said anything, the king continued, "Then this meeting is adjourned."

. . .

 _yalocalhoodrat: ay sans you there?_  
 _punslinger: yeah im here_  
 _punslinger: whats up?_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: our mutual "friend" escaped the underground_  
 _punslinger: really? whoda thunk it_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: im guessin he aint tell you?_  
 _punslinger: nope_  
 _punslinger: i had no idea he was gonna do it_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: i know you been hittin it off wit toriel lately_  
 _punslinger: eh its not that serious_  
 _punslinger: we're just friends at this point_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: right right_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: you tell her bout our mutual friend?_  
 _punslinger: she still doesnt know_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: k_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: you talk to him at all after we all met?_  
 _punslinger: nope. saw him go into the ruins last night, though. probably needed a place to sleep_  
 _yalocalhoodrat: sounds kinda sus  
punslinger: well where else would he sleep?  
yalocalhoodrat: you prolly got a point  
yalocalhoodrat: im lookin for him rn on the surface  
punslinger: royal business?  
yalocalhoodrat: somethin like that  
punslinger: just remember what i told you last night  
punslinger: give him a chance when you find him_

Sergio was texting Sans about the recent developments as he walked toward Alphys's lab. It had been right after the meeting was adjourned. The scientist told him to meet her there for something that would give Sergio an edge for finding "the fugitive." When he stepped onto the bright tile floor, he deleted his and Sans's conversation from his phone. He had a hunch that he needed to.

Alphys stepped beside him. "I'll, uh, need your phone."

The human's prediction was correct. He handed her the device and watched her proceed further into the laboratory. He didn't dare follow her as he heard a chainsaw buzzing, a cat screeching, and machine gun fire from inside - what was HAPPENING in that room? Similarly cacophonous noises sounded the first time Alphys upgraded his phone, and he felt no braver then than he did now.

This time, the phone looked no different, which raised a question in Sergio's mind. Alphys answered, as if reading his mind, "Open the app labeled 'MonsterFinder.'" Sergio entered his security PIN and followed her instruction. As the app opened, the phone's screen read, "Initializing..." He saw a GPS-like interface, with a circle in the middle and a compass arrow. Two red dots appeared inside and in front of the circle, followed by series of red dots near the edges of his screen.

"I engineered this app to find anybody with a significant amount of magic in their systems within a five-mile radius," said Alphys. This explained how there was a red dot in the middle of everything that followed Sergio.

"'Significant amount?' Are there thangs that don't got too much magic in 'em, but still got some?"

"Humans," the scientist said simply. After she saw Sergio's bewildered look, she went on, "Humans and monsters are made of different things. We're mostly made of magic, with a little bit of determination inside us. You guys are the inverse."

"Wait...so humans got a little bit a' magic in 'em? All of 'em?"

"I didn't think so at first, either, but I know how the barriers were created, and I saw what you could do after the 'Big Sleep.' I concluded that with this evidence, it wasn't too ridiculous to believe that other humans have some magic in them as well."

"So, if otha suckas got the juice, why ain't more people usin' magic?"

"Well, seven _human_ magicians created the barrier that kept us all in here. Maybe you're related to one of them?"

"I dunno. I guess if I find a human instead of a monsta, I'll know ta look elsewhere." Sergio pocketed his phone. "There anythang else I need to know?"

"Y-yeah! The app doesn't just track monsters; it can detect traces of magic that have been used recently. So if you don't necessarily catch the fugitive, you'll find where they've used magic."

"Heh, betta not let the humans get a hold a' this." Sergio went over to a wooden table and knocked on it. "Ya outdone ya self, Alphys."

The monster produced her signature geeky smile. "I try sometimes."

. . .

 **Meanwhile...** **  
**  
Mounds of dirt littered a grassy area near the northern edge of the woods, dead flowers carelessly thrown around them. A gaping hole in the ground appeared, about three feet in depth, six feet across. It certainly looked as though something - or someone - fought its way out.

It was Tobias's former burial site. The site was Asriel's first - and currently only - lead to Tobias's escape. The prince was certain the vision he received after the "Big Sleep" was an inexplicable, yet indispensable tool.

What he saw now reinforced his conviction that Tobias was here. The human's hand was dirty when it shot from the ground, and there was a trail of dirt clumps that proceeded from the site. Asriel pictured Tobias's entire body covered with old dirt, walking slowly like a zombie that had lost its proper gait.

The trail extended past the woods. Though the woods' canopy was dense, Asriel could detect that the day was sunny. A cold breeze ran through the trees from behind him, almost telling him to move forward. A clue such as the dirt trail seemed simple enough, but Tobias was too smart to have left an indication as to where he went.

Unless...he _wanted_ to be followed. Asriel gulped, securing the hood on his head.

Tobias's footsteps led to a section between residential and business districts in the city, which complicated the prince's endeavor for anonymity. More and more humans were taking notice of him, a strange-looking who-knew-what that was too suspicious to show a face. Asriel quickened his gait before anybody could get an adequate look at him. Fortunately, the dirty footsteps turned toward the city's alleyways, out of sight from the normal onlooker.

As brick walls surrounded the prince, he could feel a familiar dark energy within the atmosphere. He didn't have any tangible evidence of it, but he still knew that Tobias had been here. As he went on, the energy became more apparent.

The energy would have led him to a right turn, but he stopped before turning the corner. He smelled a pungent, coppery scent that could have only been linked to one thing. He held his breath and listened intently for anything on the other side. There was nothing save for the distant noise pollution of traffic. Asriel closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and snapped away from the corner.

He saw the bodies of four human young men, lying in large pools of their own blood. After taking a moment to regain his composure, he looked for wounds and a potential homicide weapon. He quickly scanned the cadavers. The first thing he noticed was that the humans suffered stab wounds of some sort before death. A strange, chilling sensation passed through him, and he got the feeling that they were coming from the bodies. _But...these bodies are still warm...which means that they were recently killed..._

He gingerly felt the wounds on one human's chest. While the rest of the body still retained its warmth, the wounds themselves were ice cold. It made some sense; the homicide weapon may have been a knife, and the metallic nature of the blade would have been colder on the surface. However, no knife in the world was as cold as an evening snow during a winter solstice.

All of the other bodies were the same way. After further investigation, Asriel noticed that three of the four humans were wearing hooded sweatshirts, while the fourth one merely wore a T-shirt. Perhaps the human was more tolerant of cooler weather. However, three of the four humans were wearing shoes, the fourth one only wearing socks. Now, Asriel himself didn't wear any shoes, but it was common for monsters to go in bare feet. In contrast, every human Asriel had seen had footwear of some sort.

One deviance was an anomaly. Two indicated a pattern.

The scent of human blood had distracted him from another distinct smell. While the bodies had cold wounds, something else smelled as if it had been burned. Asriel turned around and realized that he'd passed a small pile of ashes. There were no tobacco products nor signs of a fire-making place of any sort.

 _Wait. Ashes...jacket...shoes._ Asriel had been following Tobias's footsteps. As far as he could remember, Tobias was still wearing shoes when he was buried. Tobias was a cunning human, and he would have realized that his footsteps were visible at some point. In order to better cover his tracks, he would have changed his clothes; logical, since it would have been suspicious to see someone covered in dirt going into an alleyway.

A siren wailed in the distance. Asriel immediately absconded from the scene, aware of the police's eventual arrival. The last thing he needed was to get arrested right after humans discovered the monsters' existence. Not only would it severely inconvenience his father's campaign, but it would place him in a pickle as well.

As he fled the homicide scene, he couldn't get the details out of his head. Tobias was a thoughtful youth back when Asriel first met him. The human seemed too precise, too meticulous in whatever he planned to make a mistake as simple as the muddy tracks. The more Asriel considered it, the more plausible the conclusion seemed that Tobias wanted to be followed, as if he knew Asriel would pursue him.

If that was the case, then it appeared that Tobias wanted to show him the homicide scene. Was this supposed to impress Asriel? There were eight separate instances where Tobias's part of Flowey did not shun murder. No, it had to be something deeper.

The strange nature of the bodies' wounds was also unsettling. The muddy tracks showed that Tobias went straight to this place. What Tobias thought he would find, Asriel couldn't guess. It wasn't a longshot to think that Tobias had something to do with the humans' deaths. However, the weapons used still remained a mystery.

Asriel had an inkling as to how Tobias may have killed those humans, but the more he thought about it, the more he hoped he was wrong.

. . .

 **Meanwhile...** **  
**  
New York City was around 305 square miles. That was a random trivia fact that floated around in Sergio's head for some reason. But to think that he'd already gotten a hit on his app as soon as he exited the underground was about as lucky as winning the lottery.

Instead of a dot, a red splotch on the screen appeared a quarter mile northeast from the underground exit. Your local hood rat was attired in a grey jacket he found in Asgore's house, one that had belonged to Asriel at one point. He walked toward the splotch, quickly enough to move with purpose, yet slowly enough to not attract attention. Through the woods, he entered Midtown Manhattan, the skyscrapers and busy streets sending a rush of familiarity to him.

He cut through back alleys in order to avoid the public eye, always choosing the best turns for maximum efficiency. Sergio was about to turn the corner of a four-story apartment until he saw a piece of police tape flapping beyond an edge of a building ahead. Sergio cut back behind his corner and stopped to investigate the scene further.

He couldn't see much, but he did witness a small stream of blood flowing from beyond the far corner. He could see red and white lights flash on the windows close to the crime scene. _Somebody jest got iced,_ Sergio concluded.

The hood rat then heard footsteps coming his way. He reached instinctively for the back of his waistband, only then realizing that his gun wasn't there.

However, it was a false alarm. Sergio discerned a teenager a bit older and taller than him. The teenager had caramel-colored skin, hazel eyes, and thick, black hair, with a little bit of a mustache growing. He wore blue jeans and a black sweatshirt that looked bulky; Sergio knew that that feature was attributed to the teenager's bulletproof vest underneath.

The teenager gave Sergio an appraising grin. " _Ser_ -hyoh. I had hoped your absence wouldn't have caused you to forget who your friends are." He spoke with a tempered Mexican accent.

Sergio relaxed as he looked at the teenager. "Ay, Manny." He stepped forward and initiated a dap greeting between them, which Manny reciprocated.

"I've seen you _en la tele_ earlier today. Quite a find you had." Manny's tone was both commending, yet scrutinizing. He slowly walked to Sergio's left, keeping a close eye on the hood rat. Sergio lowkey felt like a shark's next meal, knowing how dangerous Manny could be if anyone was on his bad side.

However, he wouldn't let that unsettled emotion show. He clandestinely pocketed his phone. "Guess you could say that." Sergio wanted to steer clear of the subject of monsters. "You had anythang ta do wit the bloodbath down the alley?"

"No, but whoever did ought to be congratulated. _Esos degenerados_ have been causing me problems for weeks now."

"I ain't know you was makin' moves midtown."

"I'm trying to _expand,_ Ser-hyoh. I can't stay in Harlem if I want my business to grow."

"Yeah, I hear ya," Sergio agreed.

"Are you _preocupado_ at the moment?" Manny's voice remained calm, but the question still concerned Sergio. If he told the truth, Manny would have had more questions as to what he was doing. Sergio knew how Manny got if he suspected someone was withholding information from him.

If Sergio lied to Manny and went with him to whatever crime-ridden locale, the hood rat would most likely lose his trail to Asriel, and all the progress he'd made just then would have been lost. Not only that, but if Sergio was seen committing crimes when the monsters were at the brink of freedom, it would blindside the monsters' cause like a left hook.

However, the only hit Sergio got on his phone was a crime scene, and Sergio had no idea where to go from there. Perhaps where Manny wanted to go would provide another lead for Asriel's whereabouts.

Sergio clenched his teeth. "Nah. Whatcha got in mind?"

"Collecting new stock in the best way I know how," Manny answered, passion in his eyes. Sergio knew exactly what Manny meant, and given his new objective, he didn't like it at all.

But he had to play it cool. "So, what's this got ta do wit me?"

" _Ven conmigo_. It's been a while since we last hung out." Sure, that was what Manny _said_ , but Sergio could tell there was a truer purpose underlying Manny's words.

"Aight."

" _Fenomenal._ We'll take my car."

Manny led Sergio to a beat-up, green sedan that was older than either of them in a nearby lot. Despite its rough exterior, the vehicle still ran smoothly, as far as Sergio knew. The hood rat slid into the passenger seat as Manny started the car.

"So, who you targetin' this time?" Sergio asked as Manny pulled out of the lot.

"The West Side High Rollers are currently feuding with the Cold Blooded Slingers in Harlem. I figure that they need an extra push to take action."

"'West Side High Rollas.' What they think this is, Vegas?"

"Don't ask me. I only sell the hardware, not ask where they're going. Now, about these monsters."

Sergio gulped. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid. "What about 'em?" he asked, watchful of his words.

"Why are you helping them?" The question came out of nowhere, and Sergio felt vastly unprepared to answer it. "Did they pay you?"

"Nah," Sergio answered, maintaining his composure. "They jest needed ta find City Hall. I simply decided ta help 'em."

"That lie would have worked had you not been well-dressed earlier today. What was with the get-up?"

Manny was getting a bit too curious, which was quite uncharacteristic of him. Of course, with the whole world aware of the monsters' existence, who knew what was supposed to be normal anymore?

"Well, you know what happened wit the Sixth Street Clique, right? I cain't be sportin' my normal colors afta the fact. If suckas saw me wearin' purple, they gon' associate me wit 'em. I figured the one thang that wouldn't be associated wit no gangbangas would be a vest...the dressy kinda vest."

"Who cares about that? As far as I know, you're the only one in the Clique who's alive and out of jail. It would seem like a badge of pride if you still wore the purple jacket."

"Yeah, rep a second-rate gang that's all but deep-sixed. I ain't join up fa pride's sake. I was jest in it fa the green."

"At any rate, it still seems as if you're turning over a new leaf. I hope your absence hasn't changed you drastically."

"Ay, I'm ridin' wichu, ain't I?"

Manny nodded. " _Verdad._ "

On their way to a suitable parking space, Sergio found the neighborhood in which he grew up. Though the windows were up, he could almost hear the shouts of kids playing basketball, their sneakers scraping against the black pavement. He could also picture the sound of Mexican music blasting from a neighbor's house. Though most of Harlem was chaotic, this area was rather peaceful, a safe haven from the frenetic lifestyle outside the immediate neighborhood.

Of course, that all changed when his father died. Manny pointed out Sergio's own home, a one-story brick house that stuck out from the others around it. It looked like all the other surrounding houses in terms of style and structure, but none of the other houses (as far as Sergio knew) held as much trauma and darkness within their brick walls.

Sergio tensed up as he saw his house, Manny taking notice. "Is there something wrong?" he asked the hood rat. Sergio'd never told anyone about the abuse he suffered at home, not even Manny. At first, he was afraid of what would have happened if he truthfully explained all the scars he had on his torso or why he'd randomly come to school with a black eye. Would they have taken his mother away, making him a ward of the state? Would she have been released for "lack of evidence" or some other nonsense? Would she break out of jail and beat him twice as much? The possibilities seemed endless when Sergio was younger.

In the present, it wasn't so much about fear as it was about self-imposed cynicism. So, he was abused as a child. How did that make him more special than other kids who suffered the same fate?

He didn't have a father? Big whoop; most guys he knew from his neighborhood had never seen their fathers. He should have felt glad to know what his father looked and sounded like.

All in all, telling other people about his present plights seemed worthless. Getting sympathy now wouldn't erase the pain he would always feel from his youth. He felt that disclosing this information would only make him look vulnerable.

 _And I ain't gon' be the victim again,_ he thought, determined.

"Don't worry 'bout it," Sergio assured, loosening up as Manny exited his neighborhood.

Manny focused on the road again, some concern in his expression.

A couple blocks away, they were parked at an alley close to a housing project. There was an abandoned house with shattered windows and a broken door lock not too far from them. _Most definitely a crack house._ They cut through back roads to avoid detection from onlookers.

"So, how we gon' make eitha side 'take action?'" Sergio asked.

"By tagging," Manny answered, taking two canisters of spray paint from the back seat, handing one to Sergio. "We frame both gangs for tagging their homes, they take to the streets, and I have new stock before _la policia_ arrives."

Sergio would have protested this rash course of action had Manny never succeeded in this before. He reached into the glove box and took out two ski masks, handing one to Manny. They put on their masks before exiting the car.

"Whose house we at now?" Sergio said, the can rattling as he shook it. He followed Manny to a house more structurally sound than the aforementioned crack house.

"High Rollers. Now, we want to make this simple, but effective. You still know how to tag, don't you?"

"Heh-heh, trust."

They approached the front of the marked house, wary of any gang members looking through the windows. From what they could hear, there were no imminent threats outside. Now was their chance.

"What design should we use?" Sergio asked, bearing in mind the "simple and effective" strategy.

"We could use the universal mark," Manny suggested. There was one symbol that was known throughout Harlem to be a signal of turf advancement, challenging other gangs into a war for territory. Sergio agreed that it would work.

After a few minutes, there was a black target symbol on the front side of the house, with two pistols pointing at the target. Sergio then remembered to add the Cold Blooded Slingers' signature, with the obligatory dollar sign in place of the S.

"And for good measure..." Manny picked up a brick lying on the ground. He threw it at one of the windows, shattering it. The two shared an urgent look before absconding from the neighborhood. Sergio heard exclaimed obscenities, signifying the members' impending investigation.

They weaved through the neighborhood to facilitate their escape. When it was obvious that they were long gone, they quickly returned to Manny's car. Sergio took off his mask in the passenger seat, breathing heavily from the sense of danger he just experienced.

"I almost miss the kinda rush you get from this," Sergio commented, chuckling.

"You realize again why I carry out business like this," Manny asserted, a mischievous grin on his face as he started the car. "There's no harm in mixing business with pleasure."

"No harm till ya get shot."

"Have you forgotten?" Manny bumped his chest with his fist as he pulled out of the alley. "I've got the vest."

"Vests don't protect ya dome."

Manny scoffed. "Head shots mostly happen in movies and in executions. I've never been in either."

As the two headed north, Sergio remembered with a pang of guilt the real reason why he was up here. He was supposed to be looking for Asriel, not starting shenanigans with Harlem gangs. He was supposed to be checking his phone every so often to see if the prince was close. However, with how inquisitive Manny was earlier, Sergio certainly didn't need him asking why he was looking at his phone every five minutes. At this point, he really regretted not saying no. He would be more firm next time.

The two repeated the beginning of the procedure: masks on, cans shaken, and feet quiet as they approached the Cold Blooded Slingers' residence. They snaked through more back streets in order to retain their clandestine approach.

They went to the front once more and started spraying the wall and door. They had only sprayed for three seconds when the door swung open. A man wearing a bandanna was shocked to see two masked teenagers tagging his home.

Then the shock turned to anger as the man reached for his waistband. Instantly Sergio sprayed the man's eyes with the paint. With an oath, he staggered backward, clutching his blinded eyes. Sergio and Manny then fled from the porch.

"Get them fools!" Sergio heard the man say, as well as people cocking their weapons. They went left from the from door, jumping over the porch's small fence, then cut right. They had just passed the back of the house when the back door flew open, a man aiming a pistol at the teenagers.

"Get down!" Sergio shouted, tackling Manny to the ground. The man fired his gun during their descent. The hood rat felt acute pain in his side and across his back before he landed on the ground.

Before the assailant could fire a third time, Sergio instinctively made a sweeping motion with his arm. A short wall of fire emerged from his hand and flew toward the assailant. The man's eyes widened as his clothes, as well as the entire back porch, were set aflame. He shouted as he tried to smother the flames on his body, but the blaze only seemed to enlarge.

Two more bogeys approached from both sides of the house. Streams of fire from the porch set them ablaze, the bogeys reacting similarly to Sergio's first victim.

While Sergio was slightly surprised at all of this occurring, Manny was in complete awe. The hood rat resented using magic in front of Manny, but it was the only way he could have defended himself and Manny given the situation.

Sergio then realized that more gangsters were on their way. He got up from the ground and urged Manny to run. Fortunately, he responded, rising from the ground and jumping over the short chain-linked fence with the hood rat.

Seconds later, things were relatively quiet. There were no more gunshots, no more shouting. _Them suckas must be dead, then,_ Sergio thought darkly. Whoever was still alive at that house, as well as the neighbors, must have been appalled at whatever was left. If potential witnesses didn't see how the fire got started, they would likely be left with a lot of questions.

The two safely made it to Manny's car, both teens out of breath. As Sergio's sense of danger dissipated, he finally felt the full agony from getting shot. He had taken a bullet in the side, and another bullet had grazed his back. Maroon blood seeped into the grey jacket. Though he literally had a piece of metal stuck into his right side, getting shot hadn't felt anything like he expected it to. Perhaps the presence of magic was protecting him in some way.

"All right, Ser-hyoh, what just happened?" Manny questioned as he slid into the driver's seat.

"We got outta there wit our lives, that's what happened." Sergio hissed in pain as he sat down, clutching his wounds.

"There is definitely more to it than-" Manny stopped when he saw Sergio's blood-covered hand. "You were shot!" Without another word, he then started the car and immediately pulled out of the neighborhood.

The speedometer hardly dipped below forty as Manny drove to an unknown destination. "I hope you ain't takin' me to a hospital," Sergio said, half-joking.

"Nonsense. I'm taking you to my home. I'll patch you up myself."

 _Gulp._ Sergio wasn't anxious about Manny's medical skills for things like this; the guy treated his own bullet wounds before he had enough money to acquire a vest. No, it was the fact that almost all of his abuse scars were on his torso. Sergio internally panicked at the thought of Manny asking where he got _them_ from. He saw flashes from his childhood, recounting how he got every single individual scar.

But avoiding another question was definitely smarter than dying.

"Aight," Sergio reluctantly agreed. He silently prayed to whoever was listening that Manny would keep his mouth shut during the treatment.

"Hey, maybe next time you'll bring a vest, no?" Manny jested.

Sergio gave a short laugh. _Afta what jest happened, there won't_ be _a next time, fam._

* * *

 **Did I just turn UnderTale into a hood film in the second half of this chapter? I think so. Trust me, all scenes depicted here are relevant to the whole scheme of things.**

 **Also, you get to see some insight as to what makes Sergio tick. I thought some characterization here would fit in with the rest of the narration.**

 **Writer's block had a firm grasp on me, but I eventually overcame it. I guess I have the UnderTale musical videos by Man on the Internet to thank. Once I see one of those videos, I just get this drive to continue with this story.**

 **Thank you to all of you who've made it this far, as well as those who follow the story.**

 **Sergio's reckless behavior is investigated by onlookers as they witness a strange fire. The events that transpired that night raise questions just as the monsters make themselves known. Alphys sees things in the security footage that totally shift the perspective of the fugitive investigation. What does Asgore have that will further convince DeMarco to provide the monsters surface clearance? Finally, where does Asriel's search lead him in the big city?**

 **Stay tuned for the next chapter of _New York State of Mind!_**


	4. Chapter 4: Beef and Blackmail

**Chapter 4: Beef and Blackmail**

Sergio grunted as Manny finally extracted the bullet from his side. The hood rat sat on Manny's bed, his wiry torso exposed as his friend treated him.

"So I'm supposed to believe that the Slingers' back porch randomly combusted just as one of them fired at you?" Manny interrogated. It was an inconvenient trade-off; Manny could see all of Sergio's scars, but he hadn't said a word about them. However, he kept pressing Sergio about the situation at the Cold Blooded Slingers' residence.

"I don't know what else ta tell ya. I mean, whatchu think happened?" Sergio answered.

"The back porch was nothing but brick and cement," said Manny, soaking a rag with cleaning alcohol and handing it to Sergio. The hood rat cleaned his wounds as Manny went on, "There were no propane tanks there, and even then, none of us had weapons. Their shots wouldn't have ricocheted off anything. But most importantly, Ser-hyoh, after you tackled me, I saw you wave your arm just before the fire started." Manny crossed his arms. "It looked like you started the fire with your mind."

Though appearing neutral, Sergio felt nothing but anxiety from Manny's insights. Though arguably crazy, Manny was dangerously bright when he needed to be. He noticed more aspects about the Slingers' porch than Sergio did, and he used all of these points to come to the exact conclusion.

Of course, Manny's uncertainty of his own assumption was of prime importance. Though bright, Manny was quite unpredictable. If Manny knew that Sergio could use magic, and linked magic to the monsters, there was no telling how he would react. Would Manny force Sergio into more escapades, utilizing his new abilities? Would he follow Sergio to the underground, desirous of powers of his own? Would Manny be linked to Sergio and interrogated about what he knew about your local hood rat? All of these outcomes seemed equally possible and equally undesirable.

Sergio would need to lie in order to protect himself, Manny, and the monsters' cause.

"Now you thinkin' I'm a firebenda? You musta been watchin' too much Avatar," Sergio dismissed.

"I'm serious, Ser-hyoh," Manny replied, frowning. "I'm trying to grasp what reality is anymore. I never thought I'd see a talking goat, a talking fish, or you in Sunday _ropa_ in real life. However, I have, and all of those happened _today._ Now, I'm seeing porches _en fuego_ during gunfights! You _were_ absent for quite a while since last week. No phone calls, no trace where you went, nothing!"

"Jeez, are you my bro, or my dad? I ain't know I was supposed ta check in wichya every time I went someplace."

"You're not," Manny admitted, his tone softening. He started pacing through the bedroom. "Ever since what happened this summer, I have been anxious about who my true friends were. Most of the people I called _hermano_ had betrayed me. I thought that you were finally fed up with me." He sighed. "I just didn't want things to change between us."

Sergio definitely knew where Manny was coming from. Manny used to be part of a friend group comprised of neighbors in his East Harlem neighborhood. Though Sergio was in the process of joining the Sixth Street Clique, Manny and his friends hit it off quite well as far as he'd seen.

However, that all changed after some altercation between Manny's friend group and some other scrubs. It wasn't gang-related, as far as Sergio knew, but knowing Manny's aggressive loyalty to those he called friends gave him an idea as to how the situation turned out. Plus, Sergio knew that Manny stopped wearing his favorite shirt because the bloodstains were too difficult to get out.

Whatever Manny did, somebody was _not_ happy. According to Manny, his old friends took him to a new "hangout spot," where he was then jumped by the group Manny antagonized. When the smoke cleared, Manny had never found his "friends" again, leaving him with only Sergio to call an ally.

Manny's situation sucked, in other words. Sergio would have taken the peer pressure to kill some poor sap over getting jumped any day of the week.

The hood rat applied bandages over his wounds before putting on a shirt he borrowed from Manny. "Look, bruh, it don't matta if we got monstas runnin' around, cats and dogs fallin' from the sky, or Donald Trump as president. All this craziness happenin' recently don't change the fact that we brothas. I mean, we had each otha's backs since, what, grade school? 'Cause a' that, I got no reason ta turn my back on you now."

"I suppose you're right," Manny nodded. He cleared his throat. " _Lo siento_ for getting mushy on you just then."

"Heh, yeah," Sergio grinned, welcoming the change of tone.

. . .

After a spicy Mexican lunch, Sergio wished Manny farewell before leaving his home. Sergio had to hand it to himself; he'd managed to pacify Manny without revealing anything about the monsters or his powers. To further reinforce Manny's trust in him, Sergio gave him his new phone number. He just hoped that Manny wouldn't be as clingy as he feared.

It was probably too soon to walk after getting shot, as the wound was providing him more problems as he moved. This was the first time in a while that he felt significantly slowed down by physical injury. Possibly the smart thing to do was to sleep off the initial pain at Manny's house. Manny's parents certainly wouldn't have minded, considering if they would even be there that night.

However, it would take weeks, months, even, to fully recover from a gunshot wound. Sergio volunteered to search for "the fugitive" and get information about his identity. Asgore's entire campaign could have been compromised if Sergio didn't ascertain that Asriel didn't do anything stupid, giving the rest of monsterkind a bad name.

In other words, time was of the essence if he wanted to repay his favor to his new friends. The campaign shouldn't have been delayed just because _Sergio_ did something stupid. Therefore, he needed to get healed in the quickest way possible.

Once he was out of Manny's house, he thought of everything he could to summon a healing spell. Admittedly, it wasn't as easy as summoning a firestorm to cook up Slingers. Sergio noticed that when summoning offensive magic, he had tapped into his intrinsic anger, self-hatred, and slight panic, making his magic lethally potent. Apparently those same emotions didn't apply to restorative arts.

Therefore, he would return to the underground, consulting the one monster whom he knew could help. It was strange, but Sergio couldn't help but feel the awkwardness already setting in. He already decided that any beef between them was water under the Brooklyn Bridge. Nevertheless, that didn't change the history between them. The last time they even talked to each other was right after the 'Big Sleep.' Since Sergio was working closely with Asgore, he had no idea how things would go if he consulted her.

He'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

. . .

 **Meanwhile...**

Asriel's wayward travels led him to what the humans called "Times Square," a rather bright, hectic section of the city. There were huge screens with strange logos that he guessed were human brands. All the colors, all the people, all the cars...It was a sensory overload. Suddenly the relative quiet of the underground didn't seem so tedious.

He stuck to alleyways that were out of the way from the general population, partially because Tobias's last known position was at an alley, and partially because the high population density of the area would have hindered his goal. Then again, a good hiding spot for a human was in the middle of a crowd of humans. But if Tobias _wasn't_ in the area, he would have drawn more attention to himself for no reason

Though it was still light outside, Asriel doubted that the area would have looked that different at nighttime. The thought interested him, but he didn't want to be out here longer than he had to.

He saw a news report detailing his father's appearance at New York's city hall, the king standing beside Sergio and Undyne. He was proud of his father for making strides of peace with the humans, but it was quite surprising to see Sergio there. The prince never pegged the human as a political asset.

Of course, much of what Asgore's company said on TV was false. Sergio didn't just "find them lost in a park" and lead them to City Hall. The human feigned ignorance of the monsters' background, and Asgore skillfully deflected questions directly related to the civilization's history. Asriel knew too well why his father would take this course of action.

And yet, a part of him was disappointed that his father would use deception in order to bolster the monsters' progress. The worst thing about lies was that, more often than not, the truth would prevail, which would end up hurting those who propagated or believed the falsehoods. The backlash could lead to political strife between humans and monsters. The strife could lead to conflicts. Once it got to that point, it could turn into another full-scale war. Given the results of the last interspecies clash, Asriel feared that the monster population could cease to exist should another one occur.

 _This could be what Tobias wants,_ Asriel concluded grimly.

He heard a rustling sound not too far off, accompanied with a short yelp. He felt a cautious darkness within the atmosphere, but not one as severe as Tobias's. Regardless, he crouched near a corner before getting a closer look.

A human man with light shade in his jawline pointed a knife at a teenage girl with slightly tan skin and black hair. The girl had her back to the wall with an indignant, insolent expression in the face of danger. It resembled Sergio's look during the "Battle for the Barrier," as he called it.

"Look, you make this quick, nobody has to get hurt," the man threatened, putting the knife closer to the girl. "Give me your purse."

"I don't have anything you'd want," the girl answered angrily. The man backhanded her across the face, the girl staggering a bit from the force.

"I'll be the judge of that, girlie. Now, let's try this-"

"Let her go." Asriel emerged from the corner and walked towards the robber. His hood still concealed his face, the prince hoping that this would intimidate the robber in some way.

However, the man's countenance became more surly. "Get outta here if you know what's good for you, creep." He hardly gave Asriel a glance before turning back to the girl.

The prince didn't stop approaching the robber. With more conviction in his voice, he said, "I won't ask you again."

The robber shoved the girl against the wall and turned his body and knife toward Asriel. "You have no idea who you're messing with, bub."

Asriel took his fists out of his pockets, preparing to summon a spell. Then the girl made a well-placed kick in the man's crotch from behind him. Cursing, the man swung the knife behind him, the girl ducking under the attack. While the man was distracted, Asriel summoned and struck the hilt in the back of the man's head. The girl performed a roundhouse kick, the robber taking a sneaker to the face and collapsing.

Once it was confirmed that the man was temporarily incapacitated, the girl then saw the hooded figure who assisted her, her eyes drawn to the glowing sword in the person's hands. Realizing what he was doing, Asriel dispelled the sword and put his hands in his pockets before she could further examine them.

"How...did you do that?" she asked, bewildered.

Asriel clenched his jaw. Perhaps he should have stayed out of the mugging if he wanted to remain anonymous. Judging by what he'd seen, the girl probably could have handled it herself.

The problem was, she'd already seen the magic take place. There was no favorable way he could think of that could undo such a thing. Wiping people's memories were classified as "dark arts" eons ago and were lost with time. He didn't want to lie, as he feared that it would come back to bite him. So, he did the next best thing, the one thing he was used to doing by now.

He evaded the question.

"Are you all right?" he asked the girl.

"I deal with creeps like him all the time. But thanks, anyway," the girl replied, a small smile on her face. "Who are you, though? What's with the costume?"

He avoided this question as well as he began to walk backwards. "Stay safe," he concluded before leaving the alley.

Fortunately, the girl had no further questions nor had intent to pursue him. This window of silence had given him more time to think about his recent actions. Part of the reason he ventured to the surface was to rectify the wrongs - no, the _crimes_ he committed against other people. At one point, he had endangered the entire world. In order to truly make up for it, he guessed he needed to save the world.

Of course, there was a significant difference between saving the whole earth and helping one human. Surely, Asriel had a long way to go before he could be satisfied with himself. Nonetheless, it brightened his spirit a noticeable amount, his head held higher and his gait faster as he traversed New York's alleyways.

 _Baby steps,_ he told himself.

. . .

 **Meanwhile...**

Sergio had taken a bus from Harlem to Lower Manhattan and slowly trudged toward the underground's entrance. As usual, the Royal Guard stiffened up at the sight of him and gave him clearance.

He entered the throne room, which only housed the king as he took notes on scrolls and surfed the Web on a brand-new computer Alphys had made for him. He turned his head and smiled at the human. "Salutations, Sergio. You return with good news, I hope?"

"Eh, depends on what you call 'good news,'" Sergio responded, walking in front of the throne. "Alphys made an app that could help me find monstas and where magic was used."

"Simply attesting to her ingenuity," the king said proudly.

"While I was usin' the app, I found out that magic was used at a crime scene. I couldn't get a closa look without the cops gettin' wind a' me."

Asgore hmmed, stroking his beard in contemplation. "I can't say that I blame you, considering how imperative anonymity is to your goal. Did you see anything about the scene?"

"All I saw was blood and a dead guy's hand in the stuff."

With a sigh, the king answered, "This is a negative development indeed. Do you think that the humans will associate the crime scene with the monsters?"

"It ain't likely, 'less some conspiracy theorists start reachin'. Nevatheless, forensic dudes will notice that magic was used and start ta ask questions. I don't know how quickly people will connect it ta y'all, but I'm tellin' you now so that you can prepare for it when it hits the fan."

Asgore nodded. "Noted. I'll prepare potential statements to dispel any suspicion. Is there anything else you found?"

"Nothin' else I _found,_ per se, but it's still somethin' else ya need ta hear. While I was lookin' fa the fugitive, I saw one a' my old friends out in my neighborhood. I don't know what he did, but he ticked some fellas off. These fools was strapped and were 'bout ta ice my dude right there."

"May I interrupt?" Asgore asked. Sergio nodded. "'Strapped?' 'Ice?'" Sergio had tried to reduce his use of slang around the monsters, but he _was_ only human.

"Meanin', they had guns and were 'bout ta kill him in they backyard," Sergio clarified.

"I see. Since you were in the vicinity, what did you do?"

"I dived in and tackled 'im, savin' 'im from the bullets. The thang is, I took a couple a' shots ta the body. I ain't know how else ta react, 'cause I ain't had a gun a' my own." Sergio paused. "I used fire magic ta defend myself and Manny. Cooked up three a' the guys after 'im."

Asgore's eyes widened, a slightly exasperated sigh escaping him. "Did anybody see you perform magic?"

"Anybody who woulda saw me got fried, minus Manny. Afta the blast, me and Manny shipped outta there 'fore people started ta notice that a brick house caught fire."

"You didn't extinguish the flame?" Asgore inquired incredulously.

"It was all movin' so fast, Asgore, and there were mo' bustas wit guns comin' in," Sergio defended. "I figured I ain't wanna murk mo' people than I needed to, so I ran ta get myself outta danger."

Asgore eased off a bit. "You're right. I suppose I can't really blame you for coming to your friend's aid, but...I can't shake the feeling that there were more witnesses than you may have perceived in the occurrence. The last thing I want is anything underground-related to set us back now that the barrier is destroyed." Asgore softly gasped as he realized something. "You said you were shot. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'mma survive it, but it's really slowin' me down. The bullet's out, but the pain's still there. You got some sort a' spell that can help me out?"

"I know a few things about treating monsters and their magical injuries, but _that_ was never my strong suit. Since you have a different composition than monsters, it's probably best that I don't try anything that would only exacerbate your condition."

"Do you know anyone who _can_ cure humans?" _Anyone except_ her _?_

"Well, ever since the monsters were separated from humans, there have been fewer and fewer monsters who could treat them. The only monster I know who could help you is Toriel."

Sergio groaned. "That's what I was afraid you'd say."

"You're on better terms with her than I am," Asgore pointed out. "In fact, she'd actually be happy to see you." Sergio could detect the self-spite in Asgore's tone.

"Yeah, but it's still gon' be awkward ta come up to 'er and say, 'Ayo, Toriel, I got shot. Can ya hit me up?'"

"Well, ask yourself which is worse: the awkwardness, or the pain."

"Ta be honest, I ain't sure I can ansa that question," Sergio joshed. "I'll be back."

. . .

Sergio took the river person's boat from Hotland to Snowdin and traveled to the ruins. There, he was greeted by a few monsters who happened to be outdoors at the time. Sergio also eyed Sans leaning on the front wall of his house, playing with a paddleball. While he enjoyed the warm hospitality of the other monsters, the human felt a cold guilt within him as he saw the skeleton, even though Sans hadn't even noticed him.

Sergio was all too aware of Sans' ability to detect others' "LV." Technically speaking, Sergio had no Execution Points in his system since he never killed any monsters. However, Sans still noticed a darkness within Sergio's soul and discerned something similar to LV there.

The human assumed that Sans knew about the times he'd killed other humans. It was the only explanation. Before the house fire incident, Sergio and the Sixth Street Clique were involved in a gang fight with the South Side Vipas that left many dead on both sides. Sergio had killed seven people with his pistol, his last victim begging for his life before dying in an execution-style fashion.

He had never disclosed this with anyone in the underground, but Sergio still felt that Sans was onto him. After seeing him stop time and use magic that cancelled all of Sergio's movement entirely, your local hood rat couldn't begin to imagine all that Sans could do. Sans _knew_ he was lying about his jacket earlier, and he _knew_ Sergio lied about the "LV-like sense" Sans got from him. If Sans didn't know now, it was only a matter of time before he found out. The skeleton's potential reactions kept Sergio on edge.

Now, with the fire incident, Sergio suspected that his "LV" had increased. He knew for a fact that Sans would have some questions for him regarding that.

Sergio entered the ruins and ascended the staircase that led to Toriel's house. As he stepped on the familiar carpet, he heard the magical fire crackling in the fireplace. The smells of baked foods of all types had mixed together into a warm, sugary scent. It was nice to know she was still baking. He turned to the living room. There she was; a somewhat tall, white goat monster sat in a chair, glasses on her face as she read a novel. She wore her traditional purple robe with a crest of some sort on the chest area.

Toriel was completely engrossed in her novel to notice the sound of Sergio's wet footsteps beyond the doorway. Sergio knocked on the wall beside him to get her attention. Her eyes shifted to his before she immediately beamed at him. "Good afternoon, Sergio! Good to see you!"

Well, this was going a lot better than he expected. "Uh, ditto," Sergio responded, taking off his jacket and putting it on a rack.

"Come on in, have a seat. I'll get you something to drink," Toriel said, rising from her chair and heading to the kitchen.

"I...ain't come here ta chew the fat wichya," Sergio admitted, his tone a bit somber. "I need ya help."

Toriel seemed to notice his tone and answered urgently, "With what?"

Sergio then explained the situation that occurred on the surface. Toriel listened intently, then immediately stopped Sergio when he got to the shooting part. "Oh, my gosh! Are you all right? Do you need anything? First aid?"

"Manny already patched me up and everythang. I was jest wonderin' if you could take away the pain."

Toriel thought for a moment. "I believe I can, but I'll need to see where the wounds are."

That set off a red flag in Sergio's mind, but he remembered how Manny never asked about the scars. Perhaps the same would happen here. He lifted his shirt.

Toriel gasped and froze for a few seconds, no doubt seeing the old wounds before focusing on the bandaged ones. She put a clawed hand over his side and closed her eyes, concentrating. Soon, a green aura formulated around her hand, and Sergio felt a gentle warmth at his wound. He fixated on the emotions he felt from the external spell. Though his predominant dourness was still present, there was a small glimmer of...compassion. Soon, the warmth spread throughout his entire body, or rather, his soul.

 _Then it went even deeper than that. He suddenly remembered a distinct incident he had when he was six years old. He had just gotten a bicycle for his birthday a day prior. Needless to say, he wasn't that experienced with it. But, being as confident as he was, he had his father take off the training wheels after he thought he'd gotten the hang of it._

 _Looking back on it now, Sergio felt that he did pretty well for a six-year-old. All that had changed when he failed to notice a pothole in the road. The front wheel caught in the hole, and the bike catapulted him a couple feet forward._

 _He landed on his head before his body rolled over. He had a helmet and joint pads on, so the only injuries he suffered were a scraped arm and leg. Sergio could have walked it off if he were older, but every pain seem magnified at six._

 _He didn't cry out, but he silently wept as he got himself up. Unbeknownst to him, his mother was watching him the entire time. After he had crashed, he saw her running towards him, still dressed in a purple bath robe, curlers still in her hair. Even though Sergio's injuries were minor, her immediate response and loving demeanor to her hurt child had meant a lot to the young hood rat._

 _She got the rubbing alcohol out and cleaned Sergio's scrapes. After seeing that everything was all right again, his mother gave him a quick hug before dislodging the bike from the pothole._

Sergio was back to the present. The pain he felt from the gunshot wounds was completely gone. He had returned to his full strength and speed. He removed the bandages from his torso. There weren't even traces of the bullets left on his body.

"Thanks, Toriel," he said before putting his shirt back down.

The former queen looked distracted. "Who hurt you?" she asked out of the blue.

"I ain't know who shot me, jest some thugs from Harlem."

"That's not what I meant," Toriel clarified, her tone serious. It was at that point when he knew what she was talking about.

"Don't worry 'bout it," he replied coldly. Sergio's fleeting sensation of compassion was gone now as he steeled his look. Toriel, fortunately, got the hint and didn't inquire further. "Ain't there some sort a' spell I could use ta heal myself if somethin' like that happened again?"

"The healing arts are difficult enough to perform on other people. Unlike other disciplines of magic, one has to be born with the ability to heal. There aren't many who can, and I've only ever known healing monsters to heal other monsters," Toriel explained. "For the rest of us, there are few things that work better than a home-cooked meal."

"Yeah, that's right," Sergio answered in realization. "Yo' buttascotch-cinnamon pie came through in the clutch one time. Although, will that work wit bullet damage?"

"I honestly don't know." Toriel returned to her seat. "What business would Asgore have you do that would put you in danger like that?"

"Business or not, it can still get dangerous out in them streets. Hence why I saved Manny back there."

"What did you do after you jumped in? How did you get out of there?"

Sergio recalled the pacifistic philosophy Toriel pushed to him when he first fell to the underground. In hindsight, nearly everything she tried to teach him failed in the long run. Even so, Sergio _did_ resolve conflicts with monsters nonviolently most of the time. If Toriel hadn't taught him what she did, there may have been blood on his hands. Well, more blood than there would have been.

"Me and Manny ran 'fore mo' damage was done," Sergio lied. It was only going to cause Toriel distress if she knew the entire story. She'd get angry at him and start arguing with Asgore once again. The human could guess that seeing his ex-wife again was _not_ high on Asgore's to-do list.

Toriel nodded. "I'm glad that you could resolve it peacefully, even with magic at your disposal. This is how I know you're growing up to be a responsible young man."

Sergio tried not to make his guilt apparent as he silently gulped. This was one of the rare times he felt bad about lying to anyone. As much as he tried to force it down, he still felt slight ambivalence toward Toriel's character. Part of him was still angry at her for almost killing him after she'd saved him. However, the other part recognized Toriel's motherly characteristics and connected them to his own mother prior to his father's death. Every time he thought about it, his soul ached with nostalgic yearning.

"I do what I can," Sergio responded.

. . .

Back to his full strength, Sergio took out his phone and opened the MonsterFinder application once more. He'd gotten a hit on the app while his bus was in Midtown Manhattan. He didn't get off the bus then because if Asriel would try to evade him, the human wouldn't have been in any position to give chase.

During the ride, Sergio strategized how he would go about this. It wasn't a capture order, but an identification order. Asgore wanted to know who escaped and why. With that in mind, Sergio also considered Sans's words; he would give the prince a chance to prove himself. But after a long-fought battle, Sergio wasn't going to make it easy on him.

He traveled to Times Square and looked at his phone. The application pinged something two miles northwest of him. Instead of a red splotch, it was a moving red dot.

 _Gotcha._ Sergio crossed the street and headed for him.

. . .

 **Meanwhile...**

Not only was Asriel left with no chance of returning home and no clue as to where Tobias was; he was also left with no way to get food. The last time he ate anything was...before he became Flowey. Because of that, the hunger pangs he felt were getting much harder to ignore.

The only option he could think of was eating from the trash cans. Sure, it was appalling and unsanitary, but it was also inconspicuous. He could rummage through garbage while remaining incognito. Now, for other sanitation needs, such as brushing and showering...It was going to be difficult to maintain that.

He approached an apartment complex's corner. Before he could turn, he felt something kick against his stomach. He fell backward, his hood coming off.

Asriel saw someone with a phone in front of his face. The assailant then stuck the phone in his pocket with a smug expression.

 _Sergio._ The realization made his blood boil to an extent.

"What are you doing here?" the prince questioned with malevolence, putting his hood back on.

"I'm makin' sure you ain't out here doin' anythang stupid," the human replied.

Asriel got up and pieced together the aspects he just saw: Sergio had a phone with a rear camera, which was pointed directly at him as he fell.

The prince was just photographed.

He quietly scoffed. "I thought you had no interest in my endeavors."

"I don't," Sergio returned. "I _do_ have an interest in you screwin' it all up fa the monstas wit yo' nonsense 'bout Tobias."

"What makes you so sure that I will?"

"You busted ya way outta the undaground completely unprepared and unaware a' the land. If you wasn't discovered already, it's only a matta a' time."

"If you think my failure is imminent and would be detrimental to the kingdom, help me. Help me find Tobias and bring him in."

"That's exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout. You got this delusion that you gon' save the world or some crap by chasin' down somebody you don't even know is still alive anymore!"

Asriel balled his fists. "I saw it myself! Tobias rose from his grave and walked to town!"

"You sayin' ya legit witnessed this Tobias dude go zombie mode?"

"Yes. I saw it in a vision-"

"Oh, you havin' VISIONS, now! If you can see the future, how I was able ta ambush ya right here in this alley? If you can see the future, where's oldboy right now?!"

The prince gnashed his teeth, his breathing heavy. Of all the people to find him in the surface, why did it have to be someone so obnoxious? Perhaps the most annoying part of it all was that he couldn't get it through the human's thick skull that life as both monsters and humans knew it were in jeopardy, and that bickering wasn't going to solve anything.

He felt an electric heat in his left hand before putting his index and middle fingers together. He jabbed his hand forward to shoot an electricity arc towards Sergio's pocket. The human quickly investigated his smartphone, which was now in pieces.

"Whatchu think that did?" the human questioned, his tone barely changed.

"I wear this cloak for a reason, and I won't let you tarnish it."

Sergio huffed deridingly. "Joke's on you, flowa boy. The picture's already saved in the cloud."

 _Drat._ The human was one step ahead of him. Asriel quickly assessed the situation: His mission was important, but his anonymity seemed just as paramount. He briefly, yet darkly considered eliminating Sergio from the situation entirely.

 _No,_ he thought intensely. Traces of Tobias must have been left within the prince. Though their souls were separated, Asriel could still sense Tobias's soul within him sometimes...

"What do you think YOU will accomplish by taking a picture of me?"

"Sans told me ta give ya a chance, so I am. Ya got seven days ta show me some evidence a' this Tobias characta still roamin' around. If ya don't step up ta this exact spot a week from today, I'mma show the king _personally_ who the 'fugitive' was."

Asriel bit his lip. "You're blackmailing me?"

"That's politics, fam. You of all people should know 'bout it."

"Since you're so critical about the situation, what will persuade you of Tobias's continued existence? How do I know you'll keep up YOUR end of the deal?"

"Heh-heh, _you_ the soothsaya," Sergio replied, poking Asriel's chest. " _You_ figure it out."

Asriel growled and turned away before he did something he would eventually regret. He thought of the situation that unfolded; Sergio had blackmailed him in an attempt to protect the monsters' cause. A purpose like would have been believable for anyone...except Sergio. As Flowey, he had watched Sergio's actions and reactions to occurrences underground. From what he'd seen, Sergio's main goal simply was to survive. _Everything_ he had done was purely for his own survival.

To think that Sergio's motives would suddenly become noble and focused on something greater than him was...absurd, really. How did he not recognize it from the beginning? Sergio could have said all he wanted about his role in the Crown, Asriel knew that there was something deeper, something more personal that motivated the human.

It wasn't that hard to guess. The only question was...

"Why are you so...?" Asriel began. He hadn't taken more than five steps from where Sergio confronted him. He had turned back to ask him a question. However, there was no one there.

He turned his head forward and walked with a swifter pace.

* * *

 **Oh, snap, son. The beef is percolating with these two protagonists. And to think, if Manny hadn't intervened, Sergio would have found his target a lot sooner.**

 **I already have an idea as to what Sergio sounds like in my head, but what do Sergio and Asriel sound like in yours?**

 **Shoutout to DanteLoyal and saitama1155. Without you, this chapter may not have been possible.**

 **Sergio's endgame is laid out, and Asriel must play if he wants to retain his goal. But to what end will the prince go in order to keep his identity hidden? What _is_ Sergio's true purpose for his aggressive ultimatum? Finally, what will the future hold for the underground?**

 **Stay tuned for the next chapter of _New York State of Mind!_**


	5. Chapter 5: Iron Fist

**Chapter 5: Iron Fist**

Sergio returned to the underground later that evening in order to give the impression that he'd searched all day for "the fugitive." It was ironically humorous to think that he completed his assignment the day it was assigned, but Asgore wouldn't know about it.

Why _shouldn't_ Asgore know about it, though? Sergio promised, or rather, threatened to expose Asriel if he didn't come through in a week. The human was never that big on honor, so breaking a promise he made to someone like Asriel wouldn't have been a problem for Sergio. Of course, Asgore was doing the most political work he'd done in decades, it seemed. The king needed to be focused; knowledge of your runaway son would have messed with _your_ head, too.

Sergio also feared that he gave Asriel too much time to present evidence. On the one hand, this would provide Asriel a week to screw something up, and a lot could have happened in a week. Unlike Asriel, Sergio never claimed to see Tobias walking around. If Asriel saw Sergio personally to explain what "Flowey" did, why didn't Tobias have the same courtesy?

On the other hand, the odds were pretty stacked against the prince; it _was_ a big city, and finding someone while trying to keep a low profile was next to impossible. He still doubted Tobias's existence, but he _had_ seen stranger things. Besides, monsters down here gave him a chance (whether they realized it or not), so it would have been fair to give Asriel one as well.

But if the prince got any funny ideas, his chance would be nullified on the spot.

"There you are, ya little punk!" Undyne teased as he entered the throne room, a slightly exasperated grin on her face. She was dressed in her black tank top instead of her armor. "What took you so long? I texted you ages ago!"

 _Right...the phone's busted up..._ What was the best excuse for the destroyed phone? Was it smart to mention "the fugitive" at all? Not likely.

He reached into his cargo pants pocket and pulled out the pieces of his phone. "If ya did send me somethin', I ain't get it."

Asgore entered the throne room, holding a hot cup of tea. He found the broken phone in Sergio's hand. "What happened to it?"

"It was runnin' low on battery, so I tried ta charge it wit electric magic. It ain't work out so well."

"Clearly! That thing's toast!" Undyne commented. "If you used magic, you must have overloaded it."

Score. Sergio sold them. "Yeah...I'm good wit fire, but electricity's a different ball game." _That_ part wasn't a lie; when Sergio fought Asriel, the first spell he cast was a flame that engulfed his entire body, which had broken magical restraints the prince cast on him. Since then, fire magic seemed like second nature to him. He could cast electricity, but it was definitely harder to do.

"Maybe fire is your specialty, just like with Asgore," Undyne claimed.

"Is it like that fa all boss monstas?" Sergio asked, looking at the king.

"Somewhat. It varies from monster to monster. Back when Gaster was my royal scientist, he did research on how magic affected the soul. He concluded that one's magical abilities and specializations were usually, but not necessarily, hereditary."

"Guess there's a lot more ta this magic than I thought. I'm guessin' these same 'specializations' apply ta Undyne's spear and whatnot?"

"Ah, see, for weapons, there's a complex process that goes into that. If you'd like, Undyne can show you how you can better defend yourself if the need arises."

Sergio felt he knew well enough about magic, despite having possessed the ability for less than a week. After using it in the fight against Asriel, it seemed just as normal to use magic as it did using a pistol. He "killed" a godlike monster being who possessed almost all of the souls underground. Nevertheless, the monsters had been using magic all of their lives. It wouldn't have hurt to learn a thing or two.

"Aight, I might jest take that offa," Sergio accepted. "Anyway, what is it ya wanted me for?"

"The video's been finished!" Undyne said proudly, producing a remote from her pocket. She pointed it at a projector on the center table. The screen appeared on the stone wall.

The video faded in to a kid monster sitting in a chair as Undyne interviewed her.

"What makes you so excited about the surface?" Undyne asked her.

"I want to see the Sun!" the kid responded. The video switched to various other kids who gave their answers.

"I wanna see the moon!"

"The stars!"

"I wanna see the changing seasons!"

"I want to play with the kids on the surface!"

"We can finally get fresh air!"

"My mommy always seemed sad that we couldn't get to the surface. Now that we can go there, I think my mom will finally be happy."

Sergio felt a mixture of jealousy and nostalgia when he'd heard that last statement. The fact that the kid loved his mother had reminded him of his rocky domestic past. It certainly didn't help that the background music sounded like a faster, more orchestrated version of the song he heard from a fountain in the underground. He blinked a little to dispel the tears forming in his eyes.

The video switched to Asgore sitting in his throne, showing a banner in the bottom right that displayed his name.

"Despite what initial appearances may seem, our hopes and dreams are just like yours. We're not in this for money or dominance, as some may have assumed. All we want is the opportunity to prosper, to live the way civilized people should. We ask for your support as we make this transition. This is our opportunity for a new and better life for both of our peoples." And the video faded out to the hashtag #FreeTheMonsters.

"That's it?" Sergio asked.

"We had to cut the parts where you or the barrier were mentioned," Undyne clarified.

"For real? What they sayin' 'bout me?" the human inquired defensively.

"Actually, they didn't say anything bad. Everybody knows that you broke the barrier, so I guess they forgot about the Mettaton thing."

"Also, I wanted to get this video done well enough as soon as possible," Asgore added. "The sooner we finished it, the sooner we can rally for the cause."

"I see whatchu sayin'. Well, otha than length, I think it'll be a home run. Get it inta circulation."

"Noted. I'll get Alphys to send it out over the internet," said Asgore.

. . .

The video went viral. In just one day, it had received over a million views, dozens of news stations talking about it. Alphys created an email account for business inquiries so that news stations could contact the king.

The account was bombarded with messages, some of additional support, others from troll accounts, and even a few from news stations asking for interviews. All of this plus the security work she had to handle had to have been too much for Alphys. It was apparent that someone should be assigned to address business inquiries.

Sergio and Undyne talked about it as they sparred with wooden weapons at the Royal Guard's training grounds. The human blocked a downward strike with his sword and ducked under a spinning spear blow. Just as he tried to strike the guard in the back, she came back around to swat his sword away, the weapon landing ten feet to Sergio's left.

Undyne pointed the spear at Sergio, smirking proudly. "You're dead," she said simply.

"Heh," Sergio scoffed, retrieving his sword. "What about Papyrus?"

"Remember what I said at my house? About Papyrus being a softie?"

"Ay, he's a nice guy. I'm sure he'd do a betta job at this than bein' a guard." Sergio lunged toward Undyne's torso, the guard parrying the attack and going for his head. He countered with a parry of his own.

"Well, that'd be to his demerit. He's too nice for something like this. I mean, Asgore told me what happened yesterday with you and the shooters in the surface. If bad people showed up online, there's no telling what it'd do to him." Undyne swung her spear at Sergio's feet, the human jumping over the attack. He swung the sword toward Undyne's left, the guard using her training bracer to deflect the attack. Undyne then lunged at Sergio, the human catching the attack and struggling to keep the spear away from him. He finally pushed Undyne back a couple inches.

"Come on, Undyne. You knew 'im longa than I did. You should know that literally _nothin'_ someone could say to 'im would bring 'im down. Matta fact, you roast 'im, he'll think you talkin' bout ya self!" Sergio rolled under another lunge. He knelt behind her and swung at the back of her knee. Undyne kicked the sword by the flat end and turned around, jumping and lifting her spear. Sergio rolled backwards to dodge the downward attack, her spear hitting the floor.

"You may be right about that. Even if that wasn't an issue, I don't know if he'd really be 'with it,' you know? Like, Asgore's entire 'surface council' only has four people, and those are people he knows can keep up the whole 'we-have-a-nonviolent-history-with-humans' thing." **  
**

"But he can trust a human he barely knows?" Sergio said, standing up.

"I'm not saying that wasn't a gamble, either. But, everybody knows what you did for the underground when you took out that demon creature. Since you did that, you must have earned Asgore's trust."

"Guess so. You ain't tell Asgore 'bout Papyrus?"

"I only said that the king may have a new royal cook soon, as long as he kept up his training. Speaking of which," Undyne tossed her spear, "show me what you can do with magic."

Sergio stashed his sword and brought an open hand in front of him. He cast a small open flame in his palm.

Undyne huffed, unimpressed. "Is that _all_ you can do?"

Sergio frowned and brought his other hand up, summoning another small flame. He remembered the sheer power he exhibited when he fought Asriel. The flames enlarged above his hands, his entire body eventually enveloped in an orange-hot blaze. For added measure, a small ring of fire appeared around him.

 _That_ got Undyne's approval, her jaw dropping. Sergio closed his hands and brought his fists to his side. The fire vanished immediately.

"So...that's what I got," Sergio concluded.

Undyne nodded. "Fire's not a bad spell to use, but it's a bit overkill if you're only going against one person. Do you know how to concentrate it at all?" She looked around the training hall, then pointed at a training dummy. "Hit the dummy with a fireball."

Sergio briefly recalled the encounter he had with the dummy prior, where the dummy sprung to life and sent a barrage of missiles at your local hood rat. He pointed an open hand at the dummy and thought of the instance where the Slingers attacked him. A second later, the dummy and the immediate area around it were lit aflame. It wasn't exactly a fireball, but Sergio was still glad the dummy took it like a champ.

He closed his hand to dissipate the flame. Undyne stared at the dummy, then at Sergio's fist. "Try doing it with a closed fist," Undyne suggested.

Sergio obliged, aiming a fist at the dummy. He went through the same thought processes as before. Heat generated from his chest to his knuckles before a ball of flame shot toward the dummy, hitting it with more force.

"Yeah, that's it! _That's_ the key to precision!" Undyne exclaimed, patting Sergio hard in the back. "So I guess if fire is your go-to spell, it must be your specialization. But it's better to be a jack of all trades in case fire doesn't work. I remember you struggled to use electricity properly with your phone and all. First, show me how you would summon it."

Summoning it was the easy part, but controlling it was a different ballpark. Sergio put his index and middle fingers together and aimed at the dummy. The spell seemed delayed as electric heat flowed from his chest to his fingertips. Then, he jabbed his fingers forward to summon the electric spell, which arced in the twenty feet between him and the dummy. A black spot appeared where the power hit, which vanished just as quickly.

"Lot harda ta do," Sergio commented.

"Eh, it takes practice. Magic is also linked to emotions. Monsters usually summon electricity when thinking about thrilling moments in their lives. I'm pretty sure you can think of a couple near-death experiences," Undyne spoke with confidence.

She wasn't wrong. In fact, she was a catalyst of many of the "thrills" Sergio had felt in recent times. He thought back to the time when they were enemies. The human bobbed and weaved to avoid a series of magical spears she cast at him. He feared that the low _whirr_ of the spears would be the last thing he heard before passing onto the everafter.

These thoughts fresh in his mind, Sergio repeated the index-middle finger gesture and pointed at the dummy. This time, the spell flowed without delay, Sergio laying down an electric barrage on the dummy.

He then splayed his fingers, his palms pointing toward the dummy. More electric arcs flowed toward his target, each one stemming from one of the human's fingers. Curious, Sergio put the bottoms of his hands together, causing one large electric beam to shoot toward the dummy. He closed his hands to dissipate the magic.

Undyne nodded. "You shouldn't be blowing up any more phones now. I'm curious, what did you think about when doing that?"

The beef Undyne and Sergio had was water under the bridge, so he didn't want to bring up the truth. "I thought a' goin' on a rollacoasta once."

"Rollercoaster, huh? Cool."

In reality, he'd never ridden in a real one; family outings only happened when Sergio's father was around, and his height back then definitely prevented him from going on the actual coasters. Even so, the kiddie rides weren't that bad as a child.

"So, why you stuck wit a spear when otha monstas can use elemental joints?"

"Not all monsters are alike in abilities. I wasn't born able to use fire or electricity like other monsters. _That_ was the reason I was so hotheaded back then. Everybody was showing off these cool tricks back in elementary school, and there I was, stuck to using my fists. I was just...so angry that I was like this. Why couldn't I be like the other kids? Why did I have to be different?" Undyne slightly frowned as she recapitulated her past.

Oh. They were getting into some real talk. Sergio stuck his hands in his pockets, listening intently.

"I was so bent on proving to the other kids that I was just as tough as they were. I'd pick fights with a bunch of them, but once they figured out I couldn't really use magic that well...it didn't turn out good.

"Things were like that until I discovered that I could turn someone's soul green," Undyne continued, liveliness returning to her countenance. "Having the power to stop someone dead in their tracks _really_ leveled the playing field. Soon, people started to respect me...or fear me. When I joined the Royal Guard, King Asgore trained me with all sorts of weapons. You can guess which one I chose."

Undyne extended an arm to her side, her hand open. As she closed her fist, she summoned the glowing spear, bringing it in front of her. "I bound this baby to my soul so that I could use it wherever I was. I never need to store it anywhere." She moved her arm to the side, the weapon dissipating.

"Even though you got a weapon now, don't ya think you still at a disadvantage? I mean, other guards got soul-connected weapons _and_ elements at they disposal," Sergio pointed out.

"I haven't really had a problem before. Besides, if a weapon is bound to you, you don't get tired like you would if you were using elements. And if you get good enough with a weapon, it doesn't matter what other people have. Now, enough talk." Undyne picked up her training spear. "We've still got some training to do!"

Sergio chuckled and picked up his sparring sword.

. . .

The next day, Asgore was scheduled to meet with a local talk show host about his campaign.

"How do you expect to make the transition to the surface, King Asgore?" said the host.

The king sat in his seat, looking as confident as ever. He absorbed all of the attention he got from the live TV interview. The talk show host awaited his answer with the utmost anticipation.

"The support we've gotten from surface audiences has been overwhelming. I am confident that this support will be echoed within the city's legislature in the upcoming days. I will be open to discuss any transitional matters that may concern Mayor DeMarco and anyone else within the council."

Millions were confident that the mayor would at least consider talking with Asgore. Why wouldn't he? The king was quite civilized for an underground dweller, and he seemed eager to disclose reasons why a coexistence would benefit not only monsters, but humans as well.

However, luck didn't favor the monarch. A New York city council meeting was televised that same night.

"Finally, our last topic for the night. There is a staggering amount of people who support the 'Free the Monsters' movement. Many have called for another meeting between the mayor and Asgore Dreemurr. Mayor DeMarco, your thoughts?"

"Why are we wasting time talking about this?" the mayor responded with a look of annoyance. "I've said it before, and I'll reiterate it: We have to look out for our own city first. We have neither the time nor the resources to spend housing or protecting these creatures. Some have said that I'm 'heartless' for refusing to allow the monsters to move to the surface. I feel it's my responsibility to care for the people who have lived here for years, especially before even thinking about aiding non-humans who became a fad in the last few days. This entire situation is nothing more than a distraction from my true duties, and I pray that the rest of you feel the same."

Surprisingly, quite a few council members disagreed with the mayor. They wanted Asgore to at least explicate what he planned to do on the surface and where he would set up shop. The majority of members sided with the mayor, however, reflecting on the prioritization of their own species. Many others were silent, as if they knew that the mayor's word was law regardless of what side they took.

While people were arguing on the surface, there was another meeting for Asgore's surface council. The main subject was Alphys's finds from the security footage. Everyone gathered around the king's table for the small conference.

"So, Dr. Alphys, what could you dig up?" Asgore began.

"It t-t-took a long t-time to get something over the last f-f-few days because of the s-s-surface emails," Alphys said. "B-b-but I did find something: the f-f-fugitive w-w-went to S-Snowdin and c-c-crossed into the ruins. It looked like S-S-Sans and H-Her Highness were witnesses to the whole thing."

Sergio gulped. He really hoped that the rest of his friends could stay out of the entire political realm. Sans could have been pressured to reveal condemning aspects about Sergio's past or Asriel's existence. As for Toriel, Sergio merely wanted to avoid awkward moments that could come with two exes meeting each other.

It was apparent Asgore felt the same way about the latter, the corner of his mouth twitching. "I see. We've got a dilemma on our hands, then. If I summon them and disclose the fugitive's escape, there's a chance that news of this will spread throughout the underground, starting a fire that doesn't need to be started. However, they may have crucial knowledge of the fugitive's whereabouts..." He stroked his beard.

"All that's true, but Toriel don't really go outside the ruins much. If you tell 'er somebody escaped, the only otha person she'd tell is Sans, who you was gon' interrogate anyway," Sergio pointed out.

"Yeah, and I know Sans can keep a secret if he needs to. The main problem is making sure he'll actually get out of bed once we summon him," Undyne added.

"So we've come to a consensus?" Asgore asked. Everyone else looked at each other and nodded. "Then it's settled. Undyne, you and three others go to each monster's residence in groups of two. Escort both Sans and Undyne here."

"Yes, Asgore," Undyne murmured before leaving.

About a half hour later, Toriel had joined everyone else in the throne room, Sans having been brought in shortly prior. It looked like a straight up court trial in there; Asgore sat on his throne, with Undyne standing on his right side. Alphys stood on the left side of the throne, her hands fidgeting meekly. The "defendants" Toriel and Sans stood across from the king, the former's posture stiff. Sergio leaned against the room's wall, appearing neutral, though expecting an interesting outcome.

"Never thought I'd get summoned by the big man himself," Sans remarked, breaking the tense silence.

"And _I_ never thought I'd be escorted by soldiers. What's this all about, Asgore?" Toriel asked, her face stern.

"Apologies for the abrupt summons, but I've brought you here today in grave circumstances," Asgore began, Toriel's barbed words deflected from his countenance. "What we're dealing with today is a breach in underground security."

The news was slightly startling to Toriel, but Sans remained unfazed. "What, uh, happened, Your Majesty?" questioned Sans.

"Two days ago, a hooded figure had circumvented underground security and found his or her way to the surface. Surveillance footage shows that this figure had entered your residence, Sans, and walked into the ruins, Toriel. You two are the most valuable witnesses of this fugitive, and I want to ascertain that you are not accomplices to this crime."

"Don't be ridiculous, Asgore. What stake would we have in helping the fugitive?" Toriel responded.

"That's what we're here to find out," Asgore fired back, his expression neutral. "Tell me everything you know about the fugitive."

Toriel blinked. "The only thing I know about this fugitive is that I saw them in my house one morning. They were cloaked, so I couldn't discern their identity. They never said anything to me."

"How long was the figure in your house?"

"I don't know. It seemed as if they were there for the whole night," Toriel admitted.

"Really? The fugitive hides out in your home for the night, and you happened to just see them the morning after? Where were you when the fugitive entered the ruins?" Asgore pressed.

Toriel crossed her arms. "The only time they would have gotten in was when I went on an outing with Sans. I came home shortly after and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary."

"Hmm," Asgore said, apparently unconvinced. "What did you do when you saw the fugitive?"

"I greeted them, but they merely ran away when I said something. That was the last I saw or heard of them until today."

Asgore pondered the testimony quietly. Sergio felt that her story checked out; it made sense that Asriel ran as soon as he was discovered, what with the whole cloak and dagger aspect of his actions.

Then again, the prince's shenanigans had led him to his own mother, of all people. Asriel likely spent the night there without his mother's knowledge. The fact that Toriel's long lost son was closer to her than she thought had angered Sergio. Toriel had been worried sick about him ever since his death so many decades ago. Nevertheless, the prince's whole Tobias crusade made Asriel think that he was too good to show his face to a mother who loved him.

Sergio really ought to have exposed Asriel right then and there. Of course, Asgore's political focus was still relevant, and Toriel knowing that her son left her in the cold would have hurt her even more. _But this dude ain't makin' it easy._

"Very well. Sans, your testimony," said Asgore.

Sergio's mouth twisted. What was Sans going to do here? The skeleton presented himself as one who hated liars. Would he become a hypocrite just to protect the identity of someone he didn't really know?

Without missing a beat, Sans answered, "The guy came in my house asking for a cup of hot chocolate; it gets cold out there in Snowdin. He was kinda creepy 'cause he kept his face covered, but other than that, he seemed okay."

"So you can confirm that this fugitive was a male?" pressed Asgore.

"By the sound of his voice, I assume so," the skeleton shrugged.

 _Well, he prolly ain't lyin',_ Sergio thought. At the very least, Sans's reaction seemed geniune. It made sense that a living lie detector would be one of the best at telling them himself.

"And he hasn't said anything else?" Asgore continued.

"Nope. Just finished the cup and left without another word."

"Was all of this really necessary?" Toriel inquired. "The soldiers, this trial, any of it?"

"I would hope _you_ thought it was necessary," Asgore responded. "With the barrier gone, there are all kinds of incidents that could occur. I won't allow my - _our_ \- campaign to be sullied because of one fugitive. And protecting the fugitive's identity will do nothing to help anyone."

" _We_ aren't protecting anyone. And what are you doing, besides accusing innocent monsters and lying to the presses, in order to find this fugitive, since he concerns you so much?" Toriel countered.

"I've tasked Sergio with finding the fugitive's identity on the surface. We were hoping you two could give us more insights on the fugitive," Asgore answered, obviously disappointed.

"So it was _you_ who led him into danger!" accused Toriel, her brows furrowing. " _Your_ assignment had nearly gotten Sergio killed!"

"Hol' up," Sergio spoke up, standing up straight. "Don't get it twisted, Toriel; I _volunteered_ ta do all a' this. I ain't sign up completely ignorant ta the city I grew up in."

"But if _you_ were not tasked to look for the fugitive that day, you wouldn't have been put in harm's way," said Toriel, turning to the human.

"Yeah, and Manny woulda gotten iced. Since I happened ta be there, he didn't."

"Whoa, what? Sergio's life was threatened? This is the first I've heard about it. What all happened?" Sans asked.

"That is not important right now," said Asgore.

"Oh, so Sergio's life isn't important to you?" Toriel assumed.

"I never said that. I'm saying that the subject we're here to discuss is the fugitive. I forgot how much you like to divert attention from the main business at hand, Toriel," Asgore quipped.

"Far be it from you to value both human _and_ monster lives, Dreemurr," Toriel came back. "I don't understand why you are willing to talk for hours on end about the transition to surface life _lying through your teeth_ , but when _I'm_ calling your policies into question, policies that nearly got Sergio killed, you're suddenly uncomfortable!"

"Toriel, look," Sergio cut in. "I get that you concerned fa my safety, aight? But, savin' Manny was neva in the job description. It was somethin' I jest did in the spur a' the moment. Plus, don't be goin' about this like I'm some little kid. I'm more than old enough ta know when somethin's dangerous. If I felt I wasn't capable a handlin' this bidness fa Asgore, don'tcha think that I woulda stepped down?"

Toriel balled her fists. "Whose side are you on?"

"I'm on the side that keeps it real. Once you throw me into the mix, I'mma speak fa myself if necessary. I want you ta know that anythang that involves me up there," Sergio pointed up, "I'm responsible for it. I ain't jest some human robot bendin' ta Asgore's every whim."

Toriel looked as if she wanted to say something, but realized that Sergio had a point. She turned back to Asgore, silently threatening him with her piercing gaze.

"As for your comment on human and monster lives," Asgore resumed, "I am concerned now more than ever about the wellbeing of both species since the fugitive's escape. We have no idea why he left the underground without authorization. What I _do_ know is that I want him to be found at all costs before he commits crimes that would be linked to our civilization."

"Why not inform the human law enforcement? Why not ask around the underground about the fugitive?" Toriel asked.

"Because I don't want to give the impression that our fleet of soldiers is easily pregnable. I want to keep the underground's sense of security high and the humans' knowledge of our location and personnel low. The humans have already staged one takeover of our land, and I will not risk another."

"See, Asgore? _This_ is the reason the humans were afraid of monsters. Militant showcases like this give the wrong impression and only harbors aggression between both sides. If there's a fleet of soldiers waiting between here and the surface, what will happen if a human - a human _child_ \- finds their way down here? Are you going to kill them, as you're undoubtedly used to doing? Or will you risk security by letting them go?"

"If unauthorized persons come here, they will be warned to turn back. If they don't comply, they will be regarded as a threat and will be dealt with as such."

"You fail to see your own hypocrisy, Asgore. How would you feel if the human government set up a military fleet that prevented monsters from seeing the surface?"

"If the humans remembered the war between humans and monsters, I would understand. I would find alternative means to make my voice heard."

"'Alternative means.' Pardon my lack of assurance," Toriel wisecracked.

"You know, for someone who abdicated her throne, you seem really interested in political matters that don't involve the fugitive."

"Well, that can easily be fixed. As of now, I am returning to the royal crown as an adviser."

Asgore gave a short, clear laugh. "You're moseying back into the crown now? On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that our kingdom shouldn't be solely ruled by a hawk."

"Is that the only reason, Toriel? Or is it a last-ditch effort to regain the glory you've lost? How do I know that you're not really in it just to get a taste of the fame that I've gotten? It seems that you want nothing to do with the crown when it gets tough, such as when our sons died, but you want back in when it appears glamorous."

"'Glamor' has nothing to do with my intended position. I am not going to retake my previous position as queen. My main concern is making sure your policies don't endanger anyone else."

"You're no longer part of the royal crown, Toriel, so your 'advice' no longer has merit to the people underground, nor to the humans. You also forget that, like other royal positions, advisers are appointed by the king. _You_ don't get to decide whether or not you become an adviser."

"I suppose the position _would_ be appointed; you'd rather surround yourself with people who agree with you than consider multiple points of view."

Sergio wanted to protest, but he thought about Toriel's words. He had been there for pretty much all of Asgore's major transition choices. Every time the "surface council" convened, they've generally come to consensuses all the time. Sergio didn't feel as if everybody was a yes man to Asgore's decisions. They simply all agreed that their past courses of action were the best. There was usually at least a little debate between them all before decisions were made.

"I grow weary of these meaningless 'discussions' with you, Toriel. You and Sans are both dismissed," Asgore concluded.

"You can't just-" Toriel started.

"Undyne, see them out." Asgore's stare was steely at Undyne, who briefly hesitated before approaching Toriel and Sans. The skeleton had fallen asleep while standing up as the discussion became more political. He had snapped awake as soon as his name was uttered.

Reluctantly, Toriel headed for the door. Before exiting, she declared, "This isn't over, Asgore."

* * *

 **What is the source of Toriel's sudden determination? What is she planning for the monsters' political future? On the surface, what will Asriel encounter that will help him find Tobias?**

 **Find out on the next chapter of _New York State of Mind!_**


	6. Chapter 6: A Prince's Ambition

**Chapter 6: A Prince's Ambition**

Asriel sometimes wondered how much attention he had drawn since his escape. He wouldn't have ever guessed that his father had interrogated his mother about Asriel's whereabouts. After the "meeting" with Sergio, he assumed that his identity was known throughout the whole underground. He figured it was only a matter of time before Asgore sent out an APB for his son.

Because of this, Asriel needed to find Tobias fast. The prince had covered a lot of ground since seeing Sergio on the surface, yet his anonymity was jeopardized every second he spent up here. The vastness of the terrain and his unfamiliarity with the land caused him to go in circles countless times. He grew more frustrated as he saw the same alleys and landmarks over and over again.

The nights were awful to get through. Asriel had to sleep on the cold, hard cement ground, only using his robe to warm himself. He would wake up only a few hours later, shivering from the cold New York air. He shuddered to think how it would have been if it were winter here.

He encountered an awful smell that seemed to follow him wherever he went. Further investigation confirmed that he was smelling himself. Logical, since he hadn't bathed in days...well, technically speaking, years, but still. He didn't do his body odor any favors when he came across a dumpster just outside of a local restaurant one evening.

Desperate, Asriel ransacked the site for any semi-edible foodstuffs. He found a half-eaten burger and a small amount of fries, devouring then ravenously. Luckily, they were freshly thrown away, and the prince didn't have to dust off any dirt from the food.

The noise he made attracted the attention of a human who worked there. Bewildered, the human questioned what the cloaked being was doing there. In accordance to his usual anonymous fare, Asriel ran away before too many questions were asked.

The next few days weren't as successful. Most days, he struggled to even _find_ food, but the few times he did, he had rejected it. It had gotten to the point where he _had_ to eat anything he saw. He ignored the flies hovering near another dumpster and ate the most edible-looking material he found. He hated himself one day when he puked in an alleyway an hour later.

The worst thing about this was that there was _still_ no sign of Tobias anywhere. No strange news reports, no visions, and it wasn't as though the prince could ask the humans around him if they saw someone who looked like Sergio.

It was six days - _six days_ \- into his search, but it bore no favorable results. If he continued searching for someone whose existence even _he_ started to doubt, it would have led to an early grave.

It was raining during the sixth night, which was salt in the wound. The soggy cloak he wore stuck to his fur, cold against his skin. Tired, weakened, and dejected, the prince slowly hobbled toward where he thought the underground was. He steeled his nerves. It was at the point where his goal was vastly more important than his anonymity. Nevertheless, humble pie was never that palatable.

Different scenarios played in his head. How would the monsters react to seeing the "fallen prince" alive and well? No doubt there would be many who reveled in the prince's return. Some would question where he had been all this time. Sergio...well, if Asriel coming to the underground wasn't enough of a white flag, there would be nothing to satisfy him.

As the rain poured, the prince lost track of time and location. All he knew was that his feet ached, his stomach ached, his throat ached, and his clothes looked and smelled hideous. Living a royal life certainly hadn't prepared him for an undertaking like this.

He leaned back on a brick wall and slowly slid down to the ground. With every passing second, he became more resigned to the ever-increasing possibility of death. Perhaps this was a testament to how twisted Tobias really was. Maybe he really _wasn't_ still alive. Maybe the remnants of his soul had played mind games on him, as if Tobias's true dying wish was to kill Asriel through an obsession with the human.

 _If that was your intention, then mission accomplished,_ the prince thought grimly. Too weak to stand back up, the prince closed his eyes, waiting for death to take him once more.

. . .

Asriel heard sloshing footfalls approaching him. By then, he didn't even care who had seen him. There were few things that could truly threaten a dying monster.

A slick rain boot gently tapped his shin. "Hey, you dead?"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Asriel looked up. It was the human teenager he'd helped out a few days prior, dressed in a brown raincoat and jeans, holding an umbrella.

A hollow laugh escaped the prince. "Just about."

"Well, since you saved my life, I'm not gonna let you lose yours. Now come on, get up." Her voice was firm, but not exactly demanding or rude. It was just the sort of thing that Asriel needed to hear.

He extended an arm out toward her, his clawed hand fully visible. The human hesitated before she grasped Asriel's wrist, pulling him up. When the prince got to his feet, he stumbled, feeling the weakness in his legs. The human put her hand on his shoulder to stabilize him.

"Are you...homeless?" asked the human, sizing up the prince.

Asriel clenched his jaw. He saw the human not only as a person, but also an opportunity. He was having trouble standing on his own two feet given with how weak he was. He had earned _this_ human's favor, so it was possible that she could help him. On the other hand, if what he was about to say deterred her, it was back to square one, _with_ someone knowing who and what he was.

He gave a low grunt. Passiveness wouldn't help him anymore.

"No. I am a monster," he clarified.

The human laughed through her nose. "Gee, low self-esteem much?"

The joke bounced off of Asriel's renewed sense of purpose. "You misunderstand." Asriel took off his hood, revealing his goatlike face. The human's smile vanished immediately, astonished. "I am a monster, like the ones you may have seen on television."

The human's mouth hung agape. "Whoa..."

. . .

Asriel sat at a table inside the human's apartment, guzzling on a strange, but good-tasting soup the human had provided for him. It was composed of noodles, yet had a funny sounding name: "raw men." It was somewhat disturbing to think that he was possibly eating material made out of humans, but he was too hungry to care too much at that point.

After finishing the meal, Asriel went on to explain everything from the history of humans and monsters, to the emergence of Sergio and his actions, to the reason why Asriel was out and about. At first, he instinctively felt as if he shouldn't have started the conversation with the human, but she listened intently, intrigued. As he went on, it was a huge relief to get all of this off of his chest. All of this time keeping a low profile and retaining secrets that concerned the world balance had placed a heavy burden on both his body and soul.

At the end of his explanation, Asriel noticed that he was venting a little bit. "And that's why you see me like this. A prince destined to lead his people is now living a life wallowing in his own desolation."

The human waited a bit to see if he'd finished, her chin resting on her knuckles. "That...is a lot to take in, Asriel. Saying that, that's actually not the craziest thing I've heard."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Asriel's face. "Thank you, Jenessa. Although, I must ask, why did you take _me_ in, a monster with the appearance of human livestock, who was too afraid to show his face?"

Jenessa smirked, leaning back in her chair. "Couple reasons, actually. I wanted to do something to return the favor after you helped me the other day. Plus, to be honest, you look like crap; it's obvious you've been roaming the streets aimlessly, and now I know why. But the most important reason is linked to the first one I mentioned. I saw you do some sort of spell when that guy robbed me. It looked like you had a glowing sword and used that to bash that guy's head."

Asriel's lips pressed together slightly. "I had wondered how you reacted to such a phenomenon. Although, you've only shown curiosity to it, rather than fear. Why is that?"

Jenessa brought a hand above the table, her palm facing upward. She slightly flexed her fingers, summoning a small spark in her hand.

Asriel watched with amazement. There were _two_ humans living today who could summon magic! One was an anomaly, but two...Two suggested a pattern.

His eyes locked onto Jenessa's. "How long have you known you could do that?"

"I think...about two weeks ago. I discovered them when I was plugging my phone charger in. It was a doozy, to say the least."

About two weeks ago? That was when the Battle of the Barrier occurred. That was when Sergio discovered his long-latent powers before defeating Asriel in his "hyperdeath" form. Did the battle, or the barrier's destruction, affect some who lived on the surface?

"Anyway," Jenessa continued, "I saw that trick you did, and I thought you would be able to tell me what all of this was about. You left before I could have asked you anything about it."

Asriel thought for a second. "What would you have asked me?"

"Well, how do I control it? What can I do with this magic? And what does it all mean for me?"

This entire situation was a complete turnaround for Asriel in the best way possible. Not only did the prince get an adequate meal and get the information off his chest, but, if trained properly, Jenessa could have been an ally who could have helped Asriel navigate the city and arrest Tobias.

Asriel summoned a crackling ball of electricity in his hand, much more controlled than that of Jenessa's. "Would you like for me to teach you how you can better wield this power?"

The electricity had fascinated Jenessa, the human's eyes transfixed on the magic. "To be honest, that was kind of the intention when I let you in."

New York frankness still took some getting used to. Asriel dissipated the spell. "I will, under one conditi-" His speech was cut off as he received another vision.

 _The vision took place during a rainy night away from the main city and into a residential area. A figure cloaked in shadows walked toward one house in particular. He picked the front door lock and broke into the human home._

 _The figure snuck through a kitchen area and into a person's bedroom. The second human was in nightclothes, in relatively peaceful slumber. As the cloaked figure slowly approached him, the second human turned his head, trying to see who had disturbed him in the middle of the night._

 _"Whozit...?" the man said groggily, now leaning on his arm as he stared at his intruder._

 _Then, the cloaked being spoke in an all-too familiar voice, "Hello, Mr. Mayor." He grabbed the second human's shirt, lifting him from the bed._

The vision ended abruptly just as Jenessa snapped at his face for the third time. "Hello? Earth to Asriel?"

The prince snapped out of it and looked directly at Jenessa. "Where does the mayor live?" he asked urgently.

"Uh, what?" said the human, caught off guard.

"The _mayor._ Where is he?!" Asriel rose from his chair, putting his dirty cloak back on.

Nervously, Jenessa responded, "Uh...I don't know _where_ he lives, I just know that the rich guys live in the suburbs...Try going east-"

That was exactly what Asriel needed. He put the hood back over his head. "Come with me," he requested.

"Uh, I've got homework, Asriel," Jenessa protested. "Why would I need to come with you, anyways?"

"Because what I've just seen is vastly more important than any assignment your school could give you."

. . .

Jenessa's parents were gone on a business trip and wouldn't come back until the next morning, so there was no concern for making it back home before a curfew that night. It was still raining hard, so Asriel's cloak could have been construed as a rain coat. With this in mind, Asriel didn't have to cut through alleyways in order to reach his desired destination.

He stared at the light on the other side of the crosswalk. It still showed a red hand as vehicles passed left and right. He learned the hard way that it was unwise to stand close to the curb during a rainy day, Jenessa chuckling beside him.

The light finally indicated clearance. Asriel and Jenessa moved to the other side and continued their expedition. As they reached the edge of the business district, Jenessa gave more instructions.

"Your guy should be close. Just cut through Hamilton Drive and push through the narrow alley," she said, following the prince closely. Unlike other business district streets, Hamilton Drive was relatively abandoned. They didn't have to wait for a crosswalk signal to pass safely.

Once on the other side, they found the aforementioned narrow alley between a law office and a bank. They turned ninety degrees and sidestepped inside.

"So," Jenessa continued, "what exactly did you see in this 'vision' of yours?"

"Tobias broke into the mayor's house and accosted him. My vision cut off immediately after Tobias got his hands on him."

"Breaking and entering, huh? So this Tobias guy is a robber?"

"Unlikely. Knowing him, Tobias's purposes would be far worse."

"Do you know if this has happened yet?"

"I don't," Asriel admitted. "But I won't let that deter me."

They cleared the alley and headed into the suburban neighborhood. After seeing numerous skyscrapers in Times Square and the like, the new locale was a nice change of scenery for Asriel. Houses stood in a neat arrangement across the wide, viridescent expanse. There were elegant hedges that would have put a smile on his father's face.

The vision he saw had given him a house number: 915. The suburban residences prominently displayed their house numbers so that they could be seen even in the rain. In the direction Asriel traveled, the numbers were increasing on both sides.

When he saw 913 on his left, he immediately stopped, putting an arm in front of Jenessa. The prince saw a shadowy figure in the distance approaching the second house on Asriel's left.

"What is it? Is that the guy?" asked Jenessa.

"Most likely. Do you have a phone on you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I need you to record footage of Tobias. It will be imperative for taking him into custody."

"I thought that was what _you_ were going to do."

"I've learned to concoct alternative plans. Now, no matter what happens, stay hidden, and keep the camera on him."

Jenessa scanned the neighborhood for an optimal hiding place, then nodded at the prince. She took cover behind the 913 house wall.

Asriel balled his fists. _Time for the reunion._

He walked towards 915 with renewed purpose. The shadowy figure was picking the front door's lock when Asriel got close enough to discern more features about him. He wore an oversized hooded sweatshirt, khakis, and basketball shoes. The hand reaching for the lock was the color of mahogany. Asriel could see enough familiar aspects of the figure's face just from a quick profile view.

"Tobias." Asriel's voice projected with clear resoluteness, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

The figure immediately stopped his actions and turned toward the prince, his light hazel eyes widening at the sight of him.

"Asriel. It's about time we've seen each other in person." His voice was modulated, his demeanor almost passive. Tobias walked away from the door and across the porch. His arms were extended to the sides, opened in an embracing gesture.

Asriel knew what he was doing and stepped backward before the human could touch him. Tobias looked slightly shocked, but kept a confident, toothy smile on his face.

"Why do you sound so angry, brother? I thought you'd be happy to see me," remarked Tobias, his hands folded behind his back.

"Don't you think we've seen enough of each other over the last few decades?"

"One could say that," the human conceded, nodding. "But a reunion where we both see each other alive and out of that floral shell...Doesn't that deserve _some_ merit?"

"It would, had it not been for your intentional sickness and 'dying wish,' which only turned out to be a plot for world domination."

Tobias stood by his toes for a split second, analyzing the argument. "You say that, but you forget that it was _you_ who absorbed _my_ soul after I supposedly 'died.' _You_ were the one who gave me control. Us becoming Flowey was as much your doing as it was mine."

"How was I supposed to know that absorbing your soul would lead to what it did?" Asriel snapped. "I trusted you! We ALL trusted you!"

"You really should have thought of the possibilities prior to absorbing my soul if it crushed you so much. Nonetheless, don't you think that all of that was necessary? You needed a human soul to bypass the barrier. Father needed seven human souls. Sure, decades of suffering for the both of us was terrible, but nonetheless requisite to the grand scheme of things. Had we not become Flowey, circumstances as we know it wouldn't have ever come to pass."

"We never needed to hurt the humans who fell. Not like that," replied Asriel, gritting his teeth under his hood.

"On the contrary. We simply expedited the barrier-breaking process. If we didn't jeopardize their lives, it would have been harder for Father to finish the job. I mean, look at what he'd done with me. He had no intention of killing me when I fell. I had to kill myself in order to get things started."

"How can you speak this evil so casually?" asked Asriel, shaking his head.

"The terms 'good' and 'evil' have no meaning to me. They're merely meant to either encourage or stigmatize what one person likes or dislikes. Whatever is 'good' or 'evil' varies from person to person. I, on the other hand, prefer to view things as either 'necessary' or 'extraneous,' a more objective point of view. What I did, and what I'm doing, is necessary in ways you wouldn't think of."

"What _are_ you planning to do, since this is the mayor's house?" the prince growled.

"Ah, see, telling you would be 'extraneous,'" Tobias pointed out matter-of-factly. "You've already determined that what I'm doing is 'evil,' so I assume you'll try to stop me no matter _what_ I say. Nevertheless, you trying to stop me is also necessary. I can promise you this, brother." He slowly approached the prince. "I will not be stopped until I have fulfilled my goal."

It was a threat veiled in peculiar encouragement. The time of passiveness was over.

Asriel summoned one of his swords and swung the blunt end toward Tobias's face. In one brisk motion, Tobias parried the attack with a sharp-looking icicle from the palm of his hand. As Asriel staggered backwards, he noticed that the icicle completely disappeared into Tobias's hand.

"I will not kill you, Asriel, but I _will_ defend myself," Tobias claimed.

Suddenly, Asriel connected this past occurrence with one he'd seen days prior. "So it was _you_ who killed those humans in the alley!"

"This is New York, Asriel. Tons of people die in alleyways all the time. What could possibly cause you to conclude that I've killed anyone?"

"You've done it before. You also just summoned ice magic. The dead humans I've seen had ice cold wounds all over their bodies. I followed your muddy footprints into the city."

"How do you know they were mine?"

"I saw you rise from the grave after the Battle of the Barrier."

"Interesting," Tobias said with genuine intrigue. "Now, is there anything else, or may I continue with my business?"

Asriel summoned both swords this time. Without answering, he charged toward the human. Tobias summoned two icicles that stuck out from his palms and blocked attacks to his temple and torso. He pushed the swords away from each other, leaving Asriel completely open from the front. Tobias dissipated the icicles and punched Asriel in the chest, the prince feeling a deathly chill within his soul. His hands glowing with icy white energy, Tobias uppercut the prince, sending him flying up a few feet.

Asriel began blacking out as soon as he landed. His weakened state had done him no favors in the all-too-short fight against Tobias. He heard the human say before losing consciousness, "Not now, brother."

. . .

 **Later...**

It was the seventh day, the moment of truth. Asriel had a week to scrounge up some ghost footage in order to protect his identity. Sergio was doubtful from the moment he proposed this deal to the prince, but something told me that Asriel had a trick or three up his sleeve.

He leaned on a wall, singing "Stayin' Alive" in his best falsetto as he waited.

 _"Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,_  
 _I'm a woman's man, no time ta talk,_  
 _Music loud and women warm,_  
 _I've been kicked around since I was born,_  
 _But it's all right, it's okay,_  
 _You may look the otha way-"_

"You know, you should be a singer. It suits you better than working for royalty."

Sergio turned to the cloaked figure across the alley approaching him. It was definitely Asriel by the sound of his voice, but his cockiness was strange given that he was still hiding from everything.

"I don't wanna hear no lip if you ain't got the script," Sergio responded, standing up straight. He faced the prince. "So where is it?"

Asriel surprisingly reached into his cloak's pocket and pulled out a flash drive, handing it to the human. "I've encountered him just outside the mayor's house."

Sergio looked at the flash drive incredulously. "If that's true, whatcha do?"

The prince likely had an overconfident grin under his hood. "You will see for yourself."

So he wanted to play _that_ game, huh? "Whateva," Sergio said, stuffing the drive in his pocket. "It's _yo'_ identity gettin' messed up."

Asriel turned around. "When you realize that I wasn't jesting, meet me here at sundown. Your assistance in catching Tobias would be most appreciated." He walked out without another word.

 _Aight, who are you, and whatchu do wit the real flowa boy?_ The Asriel Sergio knew was a down-in-the-dumps, sullen prince with delusions of grandeur. Now here he was walking tall, almost carefree about the situation. This caused Sergio to doubt that the Tobias ordeal was as serious as the prince claimed. Either that, or it was some sort of prank video as some sort of middle finger to him and anybody else watching.

It was of no consequence to Sergio. He'd given the prince fair warning. He started walking back to the underground.

On his way there, Sergio noticed a news headline that had gotten many New Yorkers talking. DeMarco's face was displayed everywhere in Times Square as he gave an impromptu news conference. The headline read: DEMARCO TO DISCUSS WITH KING ASGORE.

"...after much consideration, I've decided to open discussion with Mr. Asgore Dreemurr and to outline certain concerns that we both have for our respective peoples. My team is contacting Asgore's press secretary as we speak, and we're awaiting a response," said DeMarco. Dozens of journalists at the conference had clapped in support of this revelation, truly showing their "journalistic objectivity."

This should have been a sign of victory for the monsters, or at least a step in the right direction. However, the whole news conference didn't sit right with Sergio. The mayor wasn't himself during the conference. He looked deathly tired (even more so than usual), his bottom jaw trembled when he didn't speak, and his voice didn't have the same cutting sound that was characteristic of other business-minded politicians.

Asriel mentioned that he supposedly met Tobias outside of the mayor's house. Was that alleged event connected to the mayor's current behavior? If so, what could have happened that night?

He inserted the flash drive into his phone as he made haste to the throne room. He accessed the files and played the video on the device. Most of of the video just showed Asriel talking with some guy in a hoodie; the video quality wasn't the best since it was raining. Near the end of the video, the guy in the hoodie _blocked_ one of Asriel's swords with what looked like some magical icicle from his hand. He replicated this action before clocking the mess out of the prince. Sergio chuckled at the sight, despite the graveness of the situation.

The guy in the hoodie then broke into the house nearby. Whoever was filming then ran towards Asriel. Instead of quoting Smokey from Friday as Sergio would have done, the witness said, "Asriel, are you okay?!" And the video ended.

Sergio's brows furrowed as he put his phone back in his pocket. _This changes everythang..._


End file.
